New Seasons
by LaNaturalBreezeOf-Books
Summary: The Volturi might be backing off for now, but as things seem to get better havoc falls on all of those who have secrets. Questions will asked and suspicions will arise. How far will they be ready to protect what they have left? Humans have never been this big of a threat to vampires and Shifters alike. Good thing they have Edward. Sequel to The Shape Shifters. Gonna be a Long-fic.
1. Flapjacks

**A/N: Welcome to New Seasons sweet, dear, dear Readers, animal lovers, all those stuff. If you're looking for action, angst, fluff, family, drama, whump you've got it. **

**The chapters are short from here but they eventually get longer...and by long I mean 4k+ This is only 1k.  
><em>Also<em>, because I'm British and I'm writing American Fiction you may find that some words I use are...**English and American**. It's messed up but, you know. Saying _Mom_ isn't the same as saying _Mum_, those minute things. Heck, you may not even realize it. Microsoft word thinks it's in America. Sorry to burst your bubble but...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, I swear. **

**Don't forget to review at the end! Constructive criticism is GOOD. **

**Enjoy the story guys!**

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><p><em>4 years Later From The Shape Shifters<em>

***Esme***

"Is it good?" I asked my granddaughter, biting my lip as she tasted the flapjack. Renesmee thought for a little while before she looked up at me and grinned toothily.

"That was delicious Grandma!" she hugged me round the waist tightly. My insides warmed. I kissed her cheek and placed some of the flapjacks on a plate and handed it to her.

"Go give some to your brother, he's in the living room." I told her, smiling.

"Okay Grandma!" she beamed and ran off with the plate in her hands.

I sighed and cleaned the kitchen quickly, only taking a few seconds. Bella and I have been getting together every Wednesday and Friday to make a recipe for the Homeless Children and those in orphanages.

Today was Wednesday, Bella was coming in the afternoon because her and Edward had to go hunting further than their usual hunting grounds; there were more tourists and hikers nowadays.

They had dropped their children off here at 9:00am before leaving and from then I was working on some recipes and distracting Renesmee from fighting with her brother by making her be my assistant chef and taster.

I heard some shouting and sighed, walking into the living room.

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><p><strong>*Renesmee*<strong>

I ran in the living room where my brother was playing on the PlayStation, I put the plate on the single chair and skipped over to Andy, flicking him with my two fingers.

He jumped up and glared at me, "What do you want?" he muttered, rubbing the spot where I flicked him.

"Grandma made these flapjacks for us, look, take one." I grabbed the plate and gave it to him.

Andy's eyes widened and I heard his tummy growl. "Dad loves flapjacks!" he gasped, taking a handful of flap jacks into his hand.

I pinched his hand, "Not too many! They are not all yours Andy _Pandy_!" I took it from him and stuck my tongue out.

"Hey don't snatch!" he yelled

"I didn't snatch nothing!" I yelled back.

"Yes you did! Grandma!" he shouted, still trying to reach the basket I held behind me.

"La la la la la!" I sang loudly, trying to drown Andy's accusations from reaching Grandma. Why did he have to ruin everything! I plumped on the chair, crossing my arms as Grandma Esme came into the room.

"What's wrong now?" she asked my brother, I didn't move, just kept staring at the white carpet. Stupid white carpet.

"Nessie snatched the basket from m-"

"I did not!" I yelled.

"Yes you did!"

"You-"

"Stop it!" Grandma Esme raised her voice. We were both silent; Grandma rarely raises her voice with us. We were her little _grand-angels_.

"Andrew, I told Renesmee to give some flapjacks to you, did you have some?"

"Yes bu-" he muttered.

"Yes, ok, Renesmee did y-look at me" I shook my head stubbornly, glaring at the details in the carpet.

"Renesmee Carlie Masen, look. At. Me." I peeled my eyes off the floor and looked at my Grandma. "Did you snatch the basket off of Andrew?"

I shook my head, but my lip trembled and my eyes pricked. "I-I j-just t-took it f-fast Granny." I pouted my stray curls fell into my face from my loose plait.

Grandma Esme's face softened.

"Don't do it again Ok?" me and my brother nodded at the same time, "And save the flapjacks for your parents, they haven't had any yet."

"Yes grandma" Andy mumbled, sitting back down on the floor.

Grandma Esme went away and I sighed, sitting down next to my brother.

"Sorry for snatching and calling you Andy Pandy" I mumbled, fidgeting with my fingers.

"Yeah, me too, sorry for taking lots." he mumbled back, we looked at each other and blinked...

Before bursting out laughing.

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><p><strong>Andrew P.O.V<strong>

"Ugh I am sooo bored." I moaned for the...3rd time in...Something minutes. The big hand is on the 5 and the little one is on the...3. Which means...something?

This would be the time when Uncle Emmett would whisper the answer to my ear when Daddy was giving me math lessons. Daddy would always get mad at Uncle Emmett and throw the pen at him. Then I would be doing my math homework rather than going trekking through the woods. I frowned at the ceiling, stupid math.

"Take it Andy!" my sister squealed to me. I rolled over onto my belly and saw the floating PlayStation box in the air. I raised my hands and beckoned it forward to me, the box floated in my direction.

I grinned.

"Put something else in the air!" I giggled as I concentrated on the box, I heard Nessie scurrying around and then a bunch of random stuff flew up, sharing the air space with the box.

"Freeze" I stared intently at the bunch of house stuff.

A weird popping sound echoed through my ears and the stuff had a clear bowl of ice surrounding it.

Nessie giggled and used one of her powers to heat it up, the ice bowl dripped. And a dark patch was slow beginning to be visible on the light carpet.

"Nessie!" I warned her, she looked at the floor and panicked; instantly freezing the circle of frozen stuff again.

"Take it outside!" she hissed at me, dropping the ice bowl into my hands. I squealed and threw it in the air. So cold! I stopped it before it could crash.

My sister and I ran out the back door to the garden, the ice bowl following.

As soon as my feet touched the grass I let it fall, it rolled on the grass, stopping just near by the river.

I heard Grandma calling our names.

**Renesmee P.O.V**

"Help me melt it!" Andy cried, trying to melt it as quick as he can. I shook my head.

"No, we should just hide it so Grandma won't-"

"What are you doing?"

_Uh oh_

"Um...we were..._ex-para-menting_." I explained, glancing at Andy who stopped trying to melt it and stood next to me.

Grandma narrowed her eyes.

"Experimenting with what-" She spotted the dripping ice bowl.

"Oh! The house phone! What is that doing in there? Water makes it break! And why is a door knob in here!" she pulled out lots of things from the melting ice bowl.

"It fell off when I ran past...sorry Grandma" I sniffed, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

Grandma just sighed in resignation. _She does that a lot when we come over_ I noticed.

"You're only children, go and play out here for a while but don't take anything from the house!" She scolded us before taking the wet and battered objects inside.

Andy poked me.

"Wanna play cats and wild cats?" he whispered.

I beamed.

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><p><strong>AN: Well this is a short chapter, more fluff than anything else. I didn't write as much on this one as I did on the other one so I'll TRY to do two chapters a day...school's back on tomorrow and all that jazz. **

**Review to tell me what you think. I got a few plot twists up my sleeve ;)**

**Reviews are nice. My sustenance. ^^ **


	2. News

**R.P.O.V**

Andy pinned me down, he was the wild cat and I was the normal, small pet one.

_**Say it!**_ He growled playfully.

I meowed, _**Wild cats are the bestest best animal in the world, and I will love them forever**_.

_**Keep going!**_ He giggled.

_**And I will love my brother Andy forever because he beat me and he is the bestest best person in the world.**_ I struggled but Andy kept me pinned.

_**Good sister**_, he meowed and ran around in circles.

I rolled my eyes and pounced on him, rolling around in the grass.

"Children!" Grandma called us; Andy shifted into his human form and scooped me up like I was his pet cat.

"Yes Grandma!" he smiled, walking into the kitchen. Grandma Esme smiled at us.

"Your Uncles and Aunties are here." She pointed at the big window.

I meowed and struggled in my brothers arms, he just hugged me tighter.

"Ooh Auntie, Uncle!" he squealed and ran out the door.

"Hey squirt!" Uncle Emmy waved coming out of the car. He leant his head forward.

"Hulk head butt!" They both yelled at the same time as they bumped heads in style. I giggled and meowed loudly.

"Oh, hey squirtetta!" he winked.

_**Let me go!**_ I told my brother. He put me down and I phased back to my human form, hugging my two Aunties.

"Hey sweetie" they hugged me back.

"Where's your parents?" Aunt Rose asked me. I shrugged.

"Hunting"

We walked back into the house.

"I hope you haven't been stressing Grandma Esme that much." Aunt Alice winked at me, I blushed; she knew everything. _Stupid visions_ I thought.

"Did you have lunch?" Aunt Rose asked me. I nodded and sighed; Aunt Rose can be so protective and worried about us.

"Yeah, Grandma Esme made us some cheese and bacon sandwiches. Well I did, Nessie just had cheese and icky_ lettuce_."

"It was not icky!" I yelled.

"Was too!"

"No!"

Auntie Alice shushed us; we all went to sit down on the living room chairs to watch TV.

The news was on, a man with a suit was talking about rare animals making a 'come back'... whatever that meant.

"...hikers have spotted footprints of a wildcat, not mountain lions but the African cheetahs. Others have spotted the endangered species of Emu paw prints, huge wolves, leopards and non-American animals right here in Forks...

Hunters were told not to kill these animals but to continue with their elk hunts and so on.

Cameras were able to take pictures of these animals; the footage now was taken one week ago."

A week ago we went trekking... I thought, maybe it took a picture of Andy doing a poo.

The TV screen came up with a picture of a cheetah face close up to the camera. It had big brown eyes...I recognized the spots on her face.

"Hey! That's mummy!" I giggled, waving at the TV.

The picture changed to two cheetah cubs playing near the camera, which were Andy and I!

Another picture was of inside Andy's cheetah cub mouth. The saliva trickled down the lens.

"Ew Andy!" I laughed.

The next picture was of a person, you couldn't see their face but the still picture showed a person with a back pack on, their clothes reminded me of Daddy.

"It's Daddy!" Andy giggled, looking at me.

"Call them" Aunt Alice whispered. "Heck, this camera thing can blow their cover, next thing you know they'll be putting in video cameras, and what if they shift right in front of it? Everybody will know!" Alice jumped up.

"Jasper is out there hunting right now! What if the camera caught a picture of him feeding?" She started to panic; fishing out her phone she called her mate and our parents.

I looked back to the TV with wide eyes, the next picture was of my brother laughing, pointing at the camera.

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><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

I strapped the legs of the bull elk with some rope. Bella was dragging her catch back to the carrier when a shrill ringing rang from my pocket.

I took my phone out and looked at the caller.

"Alice?"

"Edward!" Alice yelled "Where are you?"

I frowned; I told her where we were before we even left.

"The forest, hunting, Alice wh-"

"Get out, there are cameras everywhere, most of them of you." She whispered, there was a background noise and Alice came back to the phone. "Ah, Jasper's back. Guys you got to get out, don't phase, try to pretend you're just hunting for elk and you're bringing it back to the car, something _normal_. Do. Not. Phase."

She hung up.

Confused, I looked around, cameras? I thought as I dragged the body. Why on earth would they have cameras in forests?

"Edward!" my love called to me, her jeans bloody and her t-shirt crumpled. She waved her two arms to get my attention, she already put her share on the jeep's roof. I dragged my way over to her and dropped the body.

"Yes?" I pecked her on the cheek.

"Who was on the phone?" she pulled her messy hair into a bun.

"Alice" I simply replied.

"What did she want?" she whispered, her fingertips softly tracing my lips, I hugged her to me.

"She warned us about the cameras in the forest; apparently, they know some things..." I told her. She pulled back and her eyes widened in shock.

"_Cameras? In the forest?_" she gripped my hand, "They know our secret, and they'll know the wolves' secret as well." She looked so scared I clutched her closer to me, kissing her hair.

"They won't know, right now all they know is that our kids like to go to the forest" I winced.

"Let's go home, I miss my children, and its Wednesday today, cooking day with Esme." My love smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. I smiled as genuinely as I could and strapped the elk onto the roof.

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><p><strong>Es.P.O.V<strong>

"Are you sure there are no pictures of the wolves?" my mate asked, pacing the room.

Alice shook her head and sat down with an irritated huff.

"No, I can't see anything about our cover being blown; I think we'll be OK. As long as no one goes in the forest and does something inhuman."

Carlisle nodded. But Emmett growled at the floor.

"Then what can we do? Sit here and starve?"

I shook my head quickly, "No, we do not sit here and starve; we think together and find a simple way out of this." I looked at my soul mate, he smiled proudly at me.

"Yes, I think we should travel out of Forks for hunting."

"But Grandpa," Renesmee piped in, sitting next to me on the chair, "What about us?"

"Sweetie, you can live of both human and raw meat, your parents can just buy it at a shop." My mate told her. Renesmee frowned and huffed, crossing her arms.

"But mummy hates shop food" Andrew mumbled from the floor.

"Mummy will understand" I assured him. He sighed and rolled over onto his belly, face down on the carpet.

"Daddy says that shop food is frozen meat that is kept in a fridge for over a month!" Renesmee threw her hands up and leant against me. "Why can't we just do what the human hunting parties do? We could go with them!"

Everyone looked at the little girl.

"She's right" Rosalie grinned, "We could just pretend to be part of the hunting group that the chief is head of."

"It will save us from hunting by ourselves and getting caught." Jasper agreed from Alice's side.

"Ok, let's contact Charlie and say that we'll be hunting with the group now." Carlisle said, taking out his phone.

We heard a car pull up on the drive; I touched my granddaughter next to me.

"Your parents are here" I told them.

Andy suddenly jumped up and ran outside, Renesmee following him.

"Mummy, Daddy!" they yelled.

"I hope you've been good for Grandma Esme"

I smiled knowingly.

"Umm, Grandma made us flapjacks!" they avoided the question so easily; I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. I got up and went into the kitchen.

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><p><strong>Seth's P.O.V<strong>

"Is that them?" I stared at the small TV. The child looked like Edward's son! What was his name again...A...Addle...Andu?

"Andrew" Leah gasped, "How could they put cameras out like that! This could ruin our secret!" She growled, standing up.

"What you gonna do Leah?" I mumbled, my head aching from the late patrols Sam made us do.

She snarled at the door but didn't move, "I don't know, I think we should complain to the people who done this?" she muttered, grabbing her spare clothes bag.

"You coming, little brother?" she turned around; I nodded quickly, got up and followed her out of the door.

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><p><em><strong>~Last chapter of the day! cause I need to write the rest xD<strong>_

_**If you're wondering, (cause i'm wondering) the chief of police is called Charlie, but not Charlie Swan. Charlie Swan is dead cause...yeah... he's dead apparently :D~**_

_**Review Please! and I will have a reason to keep writing my thoughts down. **_

_**The button below is just a very strong recommendation.**_

_**:)**_


	3. The Hunt Part 1

**Chief of Police – Charlie Harvard's P.O.V**

I rubbed my sore belly as I stuffed yet another doughnut in my mouth, I was on my break. We'd all watched what the cameras came up with; I was surprised to see some kids running around in the forest late. And the weird thing was that I never really saw their parents...maybe they were orphans or homeless kids...something.

I grunted as I shifted in my swivel chair.

And where did all those random animals come from? Forks had never seen something more common than elk, deer or mountain lions. So how come we've got cheetahs and African animals running everywhere?

If it was true then we'd have to make a gate somewhere, stop kids and families from getting hurt.

Anyway, I looked at the clock, ten minutes until I can go home. I shifted in my seat and made myself comfortable to sleep.

As I was about to doze off when suddenly my colleague knocked on my office door, I internally groaned in frustration; this was my peace time.

"Charlie, you've got visitors." He opened the door wider and three, tall Indians walked through.

My colleague closed the door.

I put on my 'chief-of-police' look and fixed my hat.

"May I help you?" I asked, putting some papers into piles.

"Yeah, we want you to stop putting cameras in the forests, you have no right to do that!" the tall girl glared at me. I was about to respond when the boy next to her piped in.

"The animals you think you know are in there are just passing through. They'll be gone by morning." I eyed him.

"Yeah? Well what about the safety of the people? What if the animals attack?" I narrowed my eyes at him. He frowned and responded, "This happened every few years and the animals never once did attack our home." He smirked.

I glared at the other one, "And what about you, you with these people?"

He nodded, "My parents conceived me in the forest, many people do that, you want to look at pictures of your people...doing _that_ in the forest?" he raised his brow. I shivered.

"I...I still think we should keep the cameras in the forest."

"Why?" the other tall boy asked, "Some people think the forest as their sanctuary, it's the only place where they can get peace and quiet. How do you think they'll feel if you put cameras all over the place, rambling on about their safety?"

I didn't know what to say, thoughts rushed passed in my head but I didn't voice them out.

"You know your town Chief, you know that these people aren't dumb enough to go looking for the new animals and get there selves killed. At most, make a gate and a sign warning them of the animals. At most Charlie...but not this, not cameras. This won't warn anything."

They all got up and walked out, leaving me speechless. It was only the ring of my phone that I came out of my reverie.

"H-hello?" I gasped finally.

"Chief Harvard? It's Carlisle Cullen. Is now a good time to talk?" he asked me, I nodded quickly but realized he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, sure Dr. Cullen, what is it?"

"My family and I wanted to join your regular hunting parties, since the cameras we thought that safety in numbers would be better?" I thought about that, The Cullens want to join the hunting parties?

"Uh, yeah sure, sure Dr. Cullen." I scribbled notes down on some paper near me. "Who wants to come?"

He said all of the names. I wrote them down carefully.

"Oh and, my wife's cousins want to join in as well, Edward and Bella" I scribbled them down quickly.

"Ok, got it Dr. Cullen"

"Thank you Chief Harvard."

We ended the call.

I looked at the names on the paper; we were going to have a lot more food tomorrow.

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><p><strong>Third person- - - The day of the Hunt<strong>

"Why are you bringing a guitar with you, Edward?" Emmett asked from the jeep, Edward looked at him over his shoulder and grinned his crooked smile.

"For a little music, hey Nessie, take this. Give this one to Andrew." He handed her a wooden flute and a small Xylophone.

"And, Emmett, it isn't a guitar, it's a ukulele" Edward, put the instruments in his car.

It was then Bella walked out of the house carrying a violin.

Emmett asked the similar thing he asked Edward to Bella.

"Don't call it a violin, Emmett; it's a fiddle, my fiddle." She glared at him, Andrew following her into the car.

"It's how we hunt" Andrew beamed at his huge uncle.

They were seated in their cars. They had to go in there with a car that's what the humans did. And what the humans did, they did...sometimes.

They arrived and parked where the other cars were. Carlisle and his family, Edward and his went up to the chief of police.

Billy Black was present there, but he wasn't going to be hunting, just to protect his best friend, Charlie.

"Hey there, Dr. Cullen" Charlie nodded, "This is all your family?" Charlie didn't know what else to say.

Carlisle smiled, "Yes, just call me Carlisle, Charlie. And this is my wife's cousins. They moved here a while ago."

Edward shook Charlie's hand, "Nice to meet you Charlie, I'm Edward Masen and my wife, Bella"

Bella smiled at her husband before shaking her hand with Charlie's. "Nice to meet you Charlie"

Charlie smiled; it wasn't hard to like these people.

His smile faded when we saw their two children behind them, they were those two kids that in the forest!

"You're not going to take them with you are you?" I asked, looking pointedly at the two kids.

The little boy looked at Charlie, "Yeah we're coming too! Right mummy?"

Bella looked at Charlie before she nodded, biting her lip.

"Is that OK Charlie? You don't need to worry about them at all, we're experienced hunters"

She patted the knife at her trouser leg and grinned.

Charlie nodded slowly, "We'd never had any kids at our hunting parties," he said quietly as they walked through the forest path. "But, oh well."

Edward, Esme and Andrew were getting the instruments out from the car while Bella and Renesmee were finding a good place to start.

"Mummy, here's one," Nessie showed her mum the little space she found. "It's pretty, right mummy?" she asked, hoping.

Bella grinned and smoothed her daughter's hair back, "Yes, very pretty. Well done Nessie"

Renesmee beamed.

Charlie and his hunting party suddenly realized that the Masen family weren't anywhere to be seen.

Chief Harvard and his friend turned back, they heard some noise behind a long drape of thin vines, their hands on their guns they went to check it out.

They walked through to a tiny space in the thick areas of the forest, Edward, Bella, and the two kids were setting up some instruments that Chief Harvard couldn't identify.

"What are you doing?" Charlie blurted, looking at each of the innocently surprised faces. Edward got up from a big rock he was sitting on. Charlie noticed that he took his shoes and socks off.

"This is how we hunt, Charlie" he gestured to the instruments being set up, "Animals like the music we play, it gets them to us easier then trekking miles and miles back"

"And it's fun!" Andrew called in delight, tuning his Xylophone with Bella's fiddle.

Edward grinned at his son before turning back to Charlie, "We understand if this is not the way you usually hunt but you don't have to watch, you can leave if you want to." He eyed him intently.

Charlie wavered under the stare and turned to his friend looking at the place in awe.

"Sorry, I've got to lead the hunting party; maybe some other time..." he apologized looking back at The Masen family. "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of...uh...religion? No uh it isn't tribe...uh sorry I don'-"

"Originally, we come from Iceland. My parents moved to Brazil and just travelled. Bella's parents moved from Iceland to Italy. She moved away when she was 18, and came to America"

"We've been here for a time Charlie," Bella came up from behind her mate and placed her hand on his bare arm, her long hair waved down her back like a chocolate waterfall.

"Years..." she bit her lip. "Would you like to join us Charlie? I'm sure the kids will love it." She smiled hopefully.

Charlie's heart raced, she was so beautiful and gentle, like Renee- Stop Charlie what are you thinking? She's like twenty years younger than you- and married, AND a mother!

He blushed ferociously and looked away. "S-s-sorry I've g-got to lead the uh..." _hunting party_, _Charlie_, he screamed "uh...hunting p-party" he stammered repeatedly.

Renesmee poked her head through her mother's long legs and smiled at Chief Harvard.

"Why not? I brought a spare recorder; you can play with me?" she pouted.

"Sweetie, Chief Harvard needs to do his own hunting now" Edward told her gently.

The way Renesmee's face fell made Charlie feel like dirt.

"Okay, bye" she said shortly, turning around and going back to clean her wooden flute.

"See you after the hunt," Bella smiled, letting the curtain of vines fall back into place.

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><p>~<strong>tadaaa, i'm feeling very sad today. I had school. And an exam. And no reviews. The <strong>_Review This Chapter_** button is getting kinda lonely, no one's clicking it. now it wants to commit storycide. (suicide+story) yeah i know. i'm desperate. And i'm talking to myself...apparently...**~

**O.o**


	4. The Hunt Part 2

(**A/N- I have a vivid sound of what I the music will be like when they're 'hunting' you can search YouTube or something else for the **_**Chengdu **__**Folk orchestra- In the moonlight**_**. It's what I wanted to make the whole thing sound like.)**

* * *

><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

I placed my finger to my lips, Andrew looked at me and understood; playing his percussion quieter. Bella automatically played her own part on the fiddle, the music turning eerie and haunting. This was the part where the animals, mostly elk, would be too entranced by the music to register that they were being hunted.

Renesmee smiled widely and joined in as quietly as possible with Bella, her notes bending professionally. I stopped playing the ukulele and slowly took out my knife, looking at the close elk next to me. I pounced, the knife slid through the animal's heart cleanly and easily. The corpse fell to the ground without a sound.

The animals around it didn't even see it.

I placed some leaves on the cut, making sure the blood doesn't seep out. I stayed crouched and scanned for more prey. I heard a clicking sound and whipped my head to my wife, she inclined her head to the bushes behind her.

The clicking sound was a way to communicate when hunting or tracking with each other, it was better than whispering and scaring all the animals away.

I nodded and stealthily crawled to the bushes, hearing the soft breaths of a bull elk. I gripped my knife and peered behind the overgrowth, all I saw was the dark hooves and the stumped tail.

That was enough.

I shot my hand out, knocking the animal down by the legs. I jumped up and stuck the knife through the heart quickly. This only taking two seconds.

They were still playing the music; truthfully, the song wasn't just a hunting song but a mourning song. The almost scary atmosphere was an irresistible stimulate for the animals in the forest. It was almost a ritual, I thought as I swiftly killed the other close animal; they come to us, we play the mourning songs while we kill them, respect basically. You need to respect the life around you and life will give you food to provide for your families and friends.

Not many humans respect life nowadays.

I finished my turn and sat back down on the rock I sat on before. I met eyes with my mate and smiled.

It was her turn.

* * *

><p><strong>Third person P.O.V<strong>

"You hear that Charlie?"

"Yeah, you take this one Tom"

"Thanks, c'mon Frankie"

Two of the chief's hunting members went off to follow the trail of an elk.

At the corner of Charlie's eye he couldn't help but ask the small girl again.

"Alice you sure you've go-"

"Yes! I'm fine; I do...this stuff..._all the time._" Alice fumbled with the hunting rifle in her hands. With something so big, Charlie thought, it just looks so wrong in her small hands and her tiny size.

"You got it?"

"Yeah" Alice grinned happily at Charlie, "I've _got it_."

As he turned back around her smile disappeared as quick as a light switch and she glared daggers at his back.

"Alice" Esme said quietly, though her face didn't look at all friendly.

Alice sighed.

* * *

><p>"So Carlisle, do you know what to do if there's an attack?" Chief Harvard turned to Carlisle, still walking. Carlisle nodded, his eyes raking the forest, wincing ever so slightly at every noisy stride the humans took.<p>

"'round everybody up and lead them out of safety, if it's not dead already, shoot it." He patted his rifle in his hands, rolling his eyes at Esme when Charlie wasn't looking.

Charlie nodded approvingly, _yeah you shoot it, you shoot your pretty white ass off_ he thought as he scanned the forest for a trail.

* * *

><p>Jasper held the rifle close, it was weird, it actually felt like it belonged there. It felt like it was where it was supposed to be; to protect in an un-conspicuous way; the human way. He blew out a puff of breath he'd been holding since they left the car. The sweet aroma of human was so...<em>worth taking<em>. Right here in the forest, _where he hunts_.

His throat burned, he shook his head to rid of the thoughts. He couldn't let Alice down. _Alice_. He sighed.

Jasper knew that they were searching for a trail to follow, but..._really_, he thought_. I already found like...14 trails in the last three minutes and they couldn't even find one. Well, two_.

He grumbled quietly to himself as he walked behind the hunting party.

"There's one," Emmett mumbled quietly in monotone to himself, pointing out the trails the rest of the hunting crew seemed to overlook. "There's one...another one...there...there... two there...obvious one there...obvious...sooo obvious...ugh...you humans are so blind...there...there's another one...just stepped on one...oh my days...oh my days..._Ow!_ What was that for?" He hissed, rubbed his arm.

"I can't take your mumbling" Rosalie whispered back, her rifle slung over her shoulder. Emmett's eyes couldn't help but linger.

She smacked him again.

* * *

><p><strong>B.P.O.V<strong>

I finished killing four already, this was the time when I would come back to the circle but I needed to carry on. I was feeling lucky...which doesn't really prove anything.

I spotted a huge bull elk grazing close by. I steadied myself and pounced on it. As I brought my knife up something tugged on my leg. I fell down with a thud, I looked back in confusion, a thick vine fallen from a broken tree knotted around my leg.

I groaned as I heard a week's dinner run off, a couple more fled after it. I considered banging my head on the forest floor, but that was giving up. I didn't want to let it go, _couldn't_...Why would I do that?

I phased and ran after it.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person's P.O.V<strong>

"Found one" Chief Harvard waved, pointing to a very, very obvious trail of elk hoof prints.

Jasper sighed in relief, gripping his gun tighter.

They followed the trail, Carlisle sniffed, trying to locate their prey...

"You alright Dr. Cullen?" Charlie asked, making a weird face.

Carlisle stiffened, he stopped sniffing and nodded bringing his hand to his nose.

"Yes, its _hay fever_... gets to me sometimes." He lied smoothly, looking at the ground.

"Uh...do you need a...uh, tissue or someth-"

"No it's fine!"

There was an awkward silence for a whi-

"Charlie!" Frankie yelled, running towards the group. Everyone turned to the sweating man; he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

"What is it?" Charlie put his hands on the scared man's shoulders.

"I-Its...I m-mean there's a l-l-lion...r-real lion." He stammered, gasping.

"A lion, a real lion?" Ruth, one of the party, gasped her hands on her heart.

Frankie nodded.

Charlie narrowed his eyes. "Get your guns loaded people; we've got a lion to kill."

* * *

><p>~<strong>Duh dun...duh dun...who's the lion? Where's Tom? And Where's Bella...~<strong>

**No worries _myself_, you will get your _one sided questions_ for yourself tomorrow! in two chapters!**

****Hooray.****

**._.**

**By the way, if you blanked my A/N at the top, (like i always do to stories). If you haven't got anything better to do then _search for the song,_ it IS inspiring and VERY COOL. I believe it suits the song very well thank you very much.**

**Review and make God happy!**

**8D**


	5. Wasn't Me, Wasn't You

~**Sorry about the length I'll try to make more longer, but that means updating later. I could never do that to you people. Thanks for the ONE who did review. I thought this story wasn't showing on the website. hah...** ~

**Here's number five!**

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><p><strong>Third person P.O.V<strong>

As Edward and the two kids were packing our things away his phone began to ring. Edward quickly looked at the caller ID.

"Hi Alice, having fun at the hunting party?"

"Edward where's Bella?" Alice whispered.

"What do you mean? She, she just went off chasing one of the startled elk. She's coming back soon anyway."

"Did she phase?"

"I think so"

"Into what?" she pressed, on the other side of the line the Cullens were warily watching the rest of the hunting party check their guns, following Frankie.

Edward shrugged, but remembered she couldn't see him he added, "I don't know"

Whizzing back to the other side Alice's face twisted in frustration, she couldn't find Bella in her visions. She hated not knowing things, _absolutely detested it_.

"Can you find out?" She tapped her foot on the soft ground impatiently. Ruth looked back, raising her eyebrow. Alice flashed a smile and turned her back to the nosy lady.

"No...Why?" she gritted her teeth, "just, try...you can only g..." she trailed off, listening.

"Oh that's a relief, I feel so much better. You know what, do your own thing. Chief Harvard's set on killing some lion, I was just being concerned..._it might be Bella_!" she hissed and snapped the phone shut.

She looked back and smiled at Jasper, taking his hand.

"I'm not killing anything" Jasper's mellow voice whispered in her ear. Alice grinned and patted his cheek.

"Good boy"

Edward sighed and put his phone away. He stood up from the instruments he was packing and looked back to the direction where Bella ran off.

"Daddy?" Renesmee touched his hand, "Where are we going now?"

Edward shook his head, "Stay here with your brother. I'm going to get mummy."

Renesmee nodded and sat back down on the forest floor. Andrew looked up and smiled.

"Daddy, are we going back to the car?" he jumped up but his sister grabbed his legs and forced him back down.

"Daddy said stay here." She stuck her tongue at him.

Andrew frowned, "Then why didn't Daddy say it to _me_ then?" he challenged her, sticking his chin out.

Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Because I'm thee _bestest child in this family_." She smirked.

"No you're not! _Daddy!_" Andrew yelled.

Edward groaned internally, turning back.

"Andy, do you think that she is?" he raised his eyebrow. Andrew glared at him.

"No she isn't!" he yelled again, pointing an accusing finger at his sister who smiled smugly at him.

"Then why are you getting upset about it? If you know she's lying?"

Andrew opened his mouth, but closed it again. He glared at his sister.

"No one can be _thee bestest child_ in the family because mummy and Daddy loves both of us _the same way._" He stated proudly, sticking his tongue at Nessie at the end.

Renesmee folded her arms over her chest.

"Smarty pants"

"Geeky goat"

"Human"

"Weak human"

"Weaker Human!"

"Weakest Human in the country!"

"Weakest Human in the world!"

"The weakest Human in the galaxy of Weak, which is stupid!"

"You're the stupid one!"

"No, you are! Dummy head."

"Don't call me a dummy head! You're..."

The arguing grew fainter as Edward moved further away from the rascals. He sniffed, searching for Bella's scent...finding it.

And following it.

* * *

><p><strong>Boom!<strong>

The sound of a gun being shot through the treetops signalled that the hunt was on.

Charlie held his gun up high and lead the way.

Their pace was quick, led by adrenaline, knowing that whatever was coming, they were coming first. Chief Harvard was leading them to danger, and that kind of thought sent a shiver through his bones, up to his head.

And made him smile

Frankie took off his hat and wiped the sweat, he couldn't get the image out of his head. Tom, the lion. It..._ugh, focus Frankie, what would your mum do?_ He thought.

He continued worrying, his eyes darting around him.

The Cullens were on all alert mode, this lion could just be a mountain lion. But Frankie didn't say mountain lions but the ones from the different country.

Emmett kept his gun pointing at the trees and bushes, pretending he was in his own little video game.

Rosalie sighed, but it was strained.

"You hear that?" Charlie whispered to his friend. Frankie shook his head, pointing his gun where Charlie pointed.

Suddenly, the bush shook.

An ear throbbing roar shot out from behind it as a lioness jumped out. It didn't attack but it growled in warning.

"Bella" Esme whispered, the lioness looked at her confused before jumping up and growling at the person who shot at it.

"No!" Alice cried.

Charlie aimed at the lioness and shot again. It roared furiously and charged at him, it's light brownish fur was vibrating with the noise it made.

There were a few more shots and the lion realized it couldn't win against this defence. It growled and limped off in the forest, disappearing amongst the mist.

Charlie panted, dropping his gun. He looked at his shaken party.

"Sorry people, it's too dangerous for you to be here now." He choked out, "Lets...get back to the cars"

He and the rest of the hunting party stumbled back from the way they came.

* * *

><p><strong>A.P.O.V<strong>

"Well, you're the most stupidest not bestest sister in the whole family!" I fumed. Nessie's eyes widened and her lip trembled.

"No I'm..not" she whispered.

I gasped.

"No, I was joking! you're not really, I-"

"_Oh no! I am!_ I'm the worst stupid sister in the _whole family!_" she put her head in her hands and wailed.

I bit my lip, I didn't expect her to cry.

I put my arms around my sister and hugged her.

"Actually, I'm the most stupidest not bestest brother in the whole family" I mumbled.

Nessie gasped, her head jerked up, hitting my chin in the process.

"_Ow_, Ne-

"No you're not!" she bit her lip, "Sorry Andy"

I smiled through the pain.

"You're the best brother ever, and you are not even weak. I'm sorry I called you a Human." My sister whispered, hugging me tighter.

"I was joking before, I'm sorry, and you're forgiven." I apologized.

"You're forgiven as well" Nessie smiled.

"Having fun?"

We both looked up.

"Mummy!" we hugged her around the waist, she laughed.

"Where's dad?"

I shrugged, "He went to look for you"

Mummy frowned, "He's following my scent isn't he?" she dug her hands in her pocket and took out her phone.

"I'll call him; take these to the car, I'll help you."

She stood up and pressed the phone to her ear.

* * *

><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

_Ring! Ring!_

I quickly answered it.

"Bella," I sighed "where are you?"

"At the circle, where are _you?_"

I quickly looked around me.

"I don't know...I was following your scent."

"Sweetie, my scent goes back, I chased after the elk and came back, after I killed it." She explained.

I shook my head, "Alice said there was a lion nearby"

"Well it wasn't me; maybe you're following the wrong scent." She whispered.

_Maybe_ I thought.

"Hang on, Nessie wants to talk to you"

There was a fumbling and some noise before it settled.

"Hey Daddy" my daughter greeted me. I smiled.

"Hey sweetie, what you doing?"

"Tidying up, mummy said there's a lion, I thought it was you but mummy said it was dangerous."

I frowned.

"Don't worry about me ok? Do what mummy says."

"Ok daddy" Renesmee whispered.

I looked at the screen, **Call Ended** it said in red letters.

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><p>~<strong>I don't particularly like this chapter, it was too short and I was tired. I have a street party tomorrow. on my street. Celebrating...THE ROYAL WEDDING OH MY GGGOOOOOOOOSSHH! :D<strong> ~

**Review _please_ and i will continue writing...or review to tell me to stop writing...(which i won't anyway)**

**:)**


	6. Suspects?

**_-Sorry for the long delay, I didn't know what to write, if you want you can give me some ideas leading up to something...I'll explain it at the end. -_**

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><p><strong>Charlie Harvard's P.O.V<strong>

It was all silent, no one talked as we walked back to the cars.

I looked at my watch, we were late. I sighed; I would have to organize another hunting party tomorrow. My trainers were dirty, sinking into the mud with every weighted step I took. I scanned the trees warily, there could be more carnivorous animals just waiting to jump at us again. A slight movement caught my eye, I pointed my gun at the trembling overgrowth.

"What is it Charlie?" Ruth called from behind me. I didn't respond.

"Who's there?" I called at the moving bush, I didn't know why I said that. You could be talking to a frog, I thought to myself.

The moving increased and a person came forward. I lowered my gun slowly, squinting.

"Mr. Masen?"

He smiled slightly, looking very uncomfortable.

"Uh, hi Chief Harvard." He shifted, it was then I realized he didn't have any shoes on, he didn't have shoes at that circle place. But...why is he walking in the hard hardly steel-toe-hiking boots-proof forest bare footed?

He must have thick feet.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

He blushed, looking away. Coughing slightly he answered,

"I was..uh...going to the loo" his cheeks reddened noticeably.

My eyes widened in understanding. "Oh! Oh...well, sorry to have disturbed you..."

"Yeah..."

Awkward moment! My mind screamed at me.

"What's on your shirt?" Frankie yelled. All what he did was yell, yell, yell.

Edward touched his bloodied top and his eyes widened.

"I...was...uh...I _fell_ on an elk carcass...few um minutes ago...very scary." He looked at me carefully, as in seeing if I was buying it.

Let me tell you, I wasn't.

"Have you seen Tom?" I eyed his blood stained shirt. Edward shook his head quickly, too quickly.

"No...who is Tom?" he asked, his eyes creasing.

"Tom...part of the hunting party, you seen him?"

"No,"

I sighed, "All right, be careful out there though; a lion's nearby."

"Yeah, I know. I was going back to the Circle anyway."

"Oh OK, c'mon people!" I bellowed as I led my party back to the safety of the cars.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person's P.O.V<strong>

Edward watched the group of humans walk past, he breathed out a sigh of relief and stepped back. Suddenly, a sudden blast of cold gripped his arm. Jumping, he spun around to face Carlisle.

"Crap, Carlisle, you scared me" he panted, his immediate father smiled slightly.

"Son, are you alright?" Carlisle let go of his arm, glancing at his bloodied top.

Edward chuckled, "yeah, I'm fine. I was going back to the Circle, but I got a bit bored so I hunted some stuff…" he trailed off.

Carlisle smirked, "I thought Bella taught you how to hunt clean."

"She did, but…what's the fun in that?" he scoffed.

"It looked like you just committed a very dirty murder, from the Chief's view anyway." Carlisle pointed out.

Edward looked horrified, "Was that what he thought?" he touched the blood patches on his top, it was only elk blood. Not human blood.

Of course it wasn't.

"I have to go…bye Carlisle." Edward said almost inaudibly. He turned back and ran off.

A short puff of breath being released made Carlisle look over his shoulder.

"There he goes again, running off like nothing matters." Alice grumbled. "Charlie's going to suspect something if we don't hurry up now, dad."

Renesmee packed away her instruments in the boot of the car. Andy's xylophone took up most of the space, there was only a pocket available for Renesmee to put hers.

She huffed when Bella closed the boot.

"Andy your instrument is so fat, it takes up all the space in the car." she whispered, sitting next to him in their car seats.

Andy gasped, "Don't say that to Zilee!" he whispered back. Zilee was the name of his Xylophone, it was easier than to call it, X y l o p h o n e.

"Your instrument is too small and useless, a bear could eat it and not realize it" Andy shot back. Renesmee glared at him.

"At least mine isn't fat" she used her last argument.

"It isn't fat..._Muuum!_" Andy cried.

Bella sighed from outside the car.

"Yes baby?" she looked out of the window.

"_Is Zilee fat!_" He wailed.

"Do you think it is?" she murmured, Andy shook his head, "Then why are you getting upset?"

Andy looked down, swinging his feet. "That's what Nessie said" he muttered.

In the corner, Nessie pretended that she couldn't hear them, playing with her little stuffed toy rabbit.

"So? Do you believe what your sister says?"

"_No_!"

"Then there's no need to get sad, ok?" Bella soothed him.

"Yes mummy" he sighed in resignation.

Bella smiled softly, leaning back from the window.

"Hey love" a velvety voice vibrated through her ears. Bella grinned at her mate at her side, he pulled her into a kiss.

A sharp tap on the glass window made them break apart. Renesmee glared at them from inside the car, Andy was covering his eyes with his hands.

Edward laughed, getting into the car.

"What happened to you?" Bella asked after a while.

Edward ran his hand through his hair. "I was hunting, and I got a bit dirty, as you can see." He laughed, gesturing to his bloodied shirt.

Bella just frowned, "what about the thing about the lion?"

Edward glanced at her quickly, "what lion?"

"The lion that killed Tom"

Edward's hand on the wheel tightened.

"I don't know" he muttered, staring out at the window.

"Did you find out what happened? Did they catch it?" the questions kept coming. Edward's mind whirled; it was all becoming too much.

"I don't know!" he yelled.

Bella stopped talking, the whole car was quiet.

"I don't know." He said quieter, the car stopping in front of their house. "I just…I don't know okay?" he put his head on the steering wheel.

Andrew looked wide eyed at his mum.

"Mummy, wha-"

"Go inside, the key's under the flower pot" Bella said quietly.

Renesmee and her brother both scrambled out of the car.

When they went through the front door Bella turned back to her mate. She took a deep breath.

"Where are your shoes?" she asked quietly.

"I forgot them" Edward mumbled, his head still on the wheel.

It was quiet again. Edward wondered why she wasn't saying anything. He looked up slowly; Bella was watching him warily, as in half expecting him to snap again.

Edward cursed himself internally.

"Bella, I'm so sorry" he whispered, taking her into his arms, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"It was my fault, I ask-"

"Nonsense, I should've never shouted at you." He muttered into her hair.

"What's wrong love?" Bella's voice vibrated against his neck. "You're upset and you won't let me help you."

Edward sighed, "It's the lion,"

Bella nodded silently.

"I think it's Amber"

* * *

><p><em><strong>-Oh, that was short, too short. But if i do any lengthy ones it will take a longer time to post. But, what do you think? The main thing happening, as explained in the summary, is that their secrets being exposed to Forks. but that was only one thing in my head. I'm out of ideas now,so please review and give me any ideas. I don't know what happened to Tom myself. I think he may be dead. i dunno...oh well.- <strong>_

_**Something to do with Edward's mysteriously bloody shirt? Is it really elk blood? I have no idea. Your choice. **_

_**It's your story now, i'm just writing it, editing it. **_

_**All reviews are welcomed.**_

_**:)**_


	7. Savage Aftermath

**A/N**

**Hey guys! I'm so so so sorry this story has been neglected for so long. I told myself that I'd never get writer's block. I always hated when stories that i liked to read suddenly stopped or got deleted because the author was bored of it or w/e the reasons are.**

**For all the people who do not yet have a FanFiction account I shall say first: ****Lack of ideas is inevitable.**

**Thank you so much for **_**'Midnight Angels Say Goodnight'**_** you got me back on my feet again. Your idea got me writing this chapter and the ones after these ones. For some reason i only got your comment half a year afterwards? My PM was disabled (probably because i was un-active or w/e)**

**I don't want to write too much here because I know not much people read it! :D This is my guilty pleasure.**

**Here's Chapter 7 on New Seasons...**

**Enjoy!**

*****_**I think it carries on from the last chapter, if any confusion please don't hesitate to message me. Review to tell me what you think!**_*****

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><p><strong>R.P.O.V<strong>

_"We have a full friiddge!"_

I was playing with Lapina in my bedroom when I heard my annoying brother's voice ring loudly through the house.

Hearing him, I ran from my room as quick as I could with Lapina bouncing erratically in my arms, and stopped when I saw him, yelling at the top of his lungs into the fridge.

He looked up, calling me excitedly, "Nessie look at this!" he laughed.

"What is i-_Wow_!" I gasped, looking at the bulk of food stuffed in the fridge. It was so big-and so much!

I poked it and giggled; the meat felt weird.

"Hey look, its' so squishy." I laughed.

Andy poked it and laughed, "Poke, poke, poke-"

"Kids!"

We froze, I looked up slowly to see mum looking at us sternly. She walked into the kitchen, her coat still on.

"What are you doing with the food?" she asked, looking right at me. I looked at Andy.

He shifted nervously, his hands behind his back. "Looking" he mumbled. I looked back at mum to see her reaction. Her face didn't go angry or happy- it was just normal.

"By touching it?"

"Mummy it's not his fault!" I said finally, "It felt funny like jelly" I looked at her and cast my eyes down. "Sorry"

Mum was in front of us in a flash, her face bright and laughing. Andy looked at me weird, I looked at mum weird.

"Mummy, are you OK-"

"Oh my darlings your faces were so funny, it's alright I don't mind you poking the meat, just don't do it again OK?" she then leant down to whisper to us "You know how fussy your dad is when someone touches his food"

I giggled and nodded. She kissed our heads and patted us on the bum. Andy squealed.

"Go and play" she said, smiling. I sighed in relief and ran after Andy.

* * *

><p><strong>B.P.O.V<strong>

I sighed as I watched them run off, happy, free…oblivious.

Oblivious to the danger we were constantly in.

I sighed as I thought about my old friend- Amber. The last time I saw her was when we had escaped. She had looked at me, telling me to run from the Volturi. I never looked back when Edward and I fled Volterra, I never wanted to know about what would become of our friends. _Our family._

_Amber_

She was here, in Forks, _killing people_. Had she gone rogue? Insane by captivity? My blood ran cold as I thought of the possibilities- she could expose us.

"Bella?" the familiar voice gave me some solid ground I desperately needed. I looked up to my mate, and couldn't help but laugh. My thoughts were pushed to the side as I looked my mate up and down. _Talk about hunting messy_ I snorted.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry Love you look-oh I can't look at you anymore. Edward please!" I put my hand over my eyes, unable to contain my laughter.

"What?" his voice rose higher.

His innocently confused voice made it all the funnier.

"Oh for goodness sake Edward you look like a savage, make yourself decent before the kids see you" I said firmly, pushing him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"I don't want any mud in my bathroom!" I shouted up the stairs as he disappeared along the landing.

"_Our_ bathroom!" he corrected. I rolled my eyes.

_Ring! Ring!_

The house phone was ringing. I went into the kitchen quickly and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello Bella, its Carlisle"

I frowned, why was Carlisle calling the house?

"Oh, hey Carlisle-is everything alright?"

"It's about Tom- They've found his body"

I put the phone closer to my ear, _oh no._

"Aah!" a scream brought me back to reality "Nessie stop tickling! _Mum!_" it was just the kids playing about in the house. I closed the kitchen door and went back to the phone.

"Are you sure the lion killed him?" I asked quietly, "Maybe it was something else…wounds tell another story"

"I'm pretty sure Bella-bite marks, scratches. He received a fatal wound at the head; he was knocked unconscious and probably bled to death. Poor man, he didn't get eaten alive or anything. I'd be quite surprised if any vampires within a mile radius didn't go mad for him."

I flinched; I still wasn't used to the human blood eating thing. "Ok Carlisle, too much information. So are you there now?" I asked.

"I just came home from the hospital. I checked him myself, I'm curious though; do you know anything about the lion? We have no idea what went on when you and Edward were hunting...African lions just appearing in Forks? That's like a red arrow pointing to your head Bella" he was right. It felt more real when I said it aloud:

"It…it was one of our friends, the Shape Shifters that were taken by the Volturi. Her name is Amber" I told him. "She's going to ruin our secret"

* * *

><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

"Amber?" Alice repeated at the Cullen house, "This woman you were with at the Volturi?" she got all facts nailed down. I sighed for the hundredth time.

"_Yes_ Alice, she's here in Forks- I saw her when I was hunting but she was too far away and she phased into a lion before I could go to her" I explained to my family. Bella squeezed my hand gently.

"But I don't think she knows of the cameras in the forest, you never know what's going to happen to the town when someone gets killed on a hunting trip _with_ hunting guns." She shook her head. Esme nodded, agreeing with her.

"There'll be traps everywhere by soon" she added.

"What if she's a nomad? She'll probably be gone to Alaska by now, even if we try to track her down." Emmett's words had reality written all over it. If she was killing people she wouldn't be settled down in the same town.

My son went down the stairs then, causing conversation to be silenced.

"Daddy?" he asked for me, wiping his eyes with his hands. "When are we going home?" he climbed onto my lap on the chair and leant on my chest, yawning his mouth off. I looked at my immediate family.

"We're leaving now, go get your sister" I told him gently, but he had already fallen asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person P.O.V<strong>

_A figure ran through the trees, it jumped nimbly over branches and fallen trees. It stopped near a creek and jumped right across it to the other side. It phased, stalking into the trees, not once noticing the staring, aggressive dark eyes._

_They followed_

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><p><strong>I think it's tooooooooo short. what do you think? I apologize for the constant changing of P.O.V (Point of Views) i was confused myself so I needed to get everything covered. Not my best piece of writing. If anyone wants me to lessen the changing P.O.V then please review by clicking the button below. Or if you think it's all dandy and butterflies then review! I can't get tired writing about the two kids- they're just too cute!<strong>

_If anyone has any ideas they want to put forward into this story then message me __**As soon As Possible**__. It has to be realistic (sort of) and be with the flow of the story. All ideas are welcomed and considered._

**The button below is just a very strong recommendation.**


	8. Surprise Visitor

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to SM. Apart from one or two.**

**Enjoy Chapter Eight!**

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><p><strong>B.P.O.V<strong>

It was the morning after our little family meeting. The news about Tom's unfortunate death was on the news til midnight. I didn't want Renesmee or Andy to see it but I knew that it was inevitable- the forest is there second home.

I turned my head up to look over my mate's sleeping face to the big window that overlooked the trees. I sighed as birds flew by, _I can do that_ I thought as they flew with the wind in their tight flock. The day was early I realized, by the humidity of the air. The light outside lit the room with a faint blue-ish tint.

Dawn

I decided to make an early breakfast.

In half an hour I was happily working in the open kitchen. The radio was on some country music station and I whistled along to tunes I never thought I knew before.

I turned the heat down low on the oven, checking my m-

"Morning mummy!" a voice said behind me. I jumped, putting my hand over my heart.

"Andy you scared the life out of me!" he was wearing his favourite t-shirt that said 'little monster' with shorts. He smiled sheepishly, showing his cute dimples.

"Sorry mummy-what are you making?" he raised himself onto his tiptoes, trying to see inside the high oven.

I placed him on my hip and he pressed his face to the oven door.

"What are those flat things?" he asked, pulling away to look at me.

"I'm baking muffins" I said proudly. His face brightened but then scrunched up.

"But it's all flattened" he said, pressing his face to the oven door again.

"That means that it's not cooked yet. When it heats up it will rise and look like that" I pointed to the recipe book on the counter. Andy looked at it and made an approved sound.

"Is that the book that you and Grandma Esme made?" he asked, turning the pages curiously.

"Yep" I replied "almond and coconut berry muffins"

He gasped.

"Mummy can you make this for dinner!" he held up the book at the picture of the hot pot of elk and apples.

"Do you want to help me to make it for dinner?" I asked and he nodded eagerly.

"We never had apples in our dinner before" he grinned. "Mummy can I show Nessie?"

I ruffled his curly hair that was falling into his eyes slightly. "Alright, be careful with it."

He beamed and ran back upstairs, the book in his hands.

Not long after he went upstairs there were screaming and yelling upstairs.

"Muum!" Renesmee and Andy raced down the stairs towards me.

I sighed, _here we go again_.

"Mum Andy won't let me hold the book!" Renesmee cried, pointing an accusing finger at her fuming brother.

"No!" He spoke up, "Mum you know when you said to be careful with it, I was! Nessie was going to break it!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

Nessie glared at him and reached for the book but Andy held it next to him. She whined and looked pointedly at me.

"I just want to see the pictures!" she cried. "You're being rude!" she shouted at him.

Andy shook his head, "No I'm not! I had it first!"

Renesmee was going to push him but I took her arm firmly.

"No hitting, you two got to learn to share. Andy let your sister look at the pictures-it's not like she's going to eat the book and ruin it." I told them.

Andy looked at his sister and looked back to me. He pouted.

"But mum she-"

"-No buts" I interrupted him, looking at him pointedly in the eye. "Now say sorry to your sister"

He hung his head, his curly hair messy on his head, and muttered "Sorry Nessie"

Nessie looked up at me and I nodded. She sighed and hugged her twin brother.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. Let's play adventure time" she whispered in his ear. Andy looked up brightly at her and beamed.

"Let's go!" they ran out of the kitchen laughing.

I sighed; I could never understand how an argument can just disappear into air, and then they run off- the best of friends again.

I went back into making breakfast.

* * *

><p><strong>A.P.O.V<strong>

_**Let's sneak into daddy and mummy's room**_ my sister thought to me. We were playing adventure time when we both turn into anything and explore the house like an adventure. It was so fun.

We were both small cats, I was a tabby and Nessie was the grey and brown one. Mum and dad gave us a book of animals from a book shop in Forks and me and Nessie treasured it like…like gold!

There were millions of animals to choose from, even a page on sharks! Nessie was disappointed when there wasn't a page on mermaids or unicorns though.

We could hear dad sleeping in the bedroom. I giggled as my sister jumped on the bed. I followed her and we sat right opposite his face.

_**Eew daddy's drooling!**_ I thought to her, laughing. Nessie mewed and licked his nose playfully.

_**Watch this**_ I walked over him and sat right on the covers covering his chest.

_**Andy you'll wake him! **_My sister giggled and followed to sit next to me.

_**Let's sing a waking up song**_ she thought and started a tune…

* * *

><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

My nose felt wet, why did it feel wet? I thought confused and disorientated by sleep. There was a noise, before my eyes adjusted to the light my ears were suddenly bombarded by a mixture of sounds.

"What the…" I looked up and saw two cats sitting arrogantly on me. The sound they were making was horrendous.

_**Good morning daddy!**_ I heard my son think to me. I rolled my eyes at my two children.

"Yes, very nice but…" I suddenly phased and a huge tiger replaced me. They screamed in delight as I quickly pounced on them, holding each yowling cat by my teeth.

_**That is the worst song I have ever heard in my life**_ I finished. Nessie mewed from my grip.

_**Thanks **_she thought sarcastically, _**now let us go!**_ She struggled and giggled as I growled.

Andy patted my face with his paw _**How comes you're so bog and we're always small!**_ He growled cutely.

_**Because I'm bigger than you- teeny kittens!**_ I laughed as I walked down the stairs. Andy yowled.

When I went into the kitchen we all smelt the aroma of baking.

_**Mmm**_ my daughter sniffed delightfully smells so nice

_**I bet they're big now!**_ Andy yowled.

My mate heard the sound and chuckled when she saw us.

"Oh no children, looks like the big bad tiger caught you again, what did we tell you about spying on your father when he's sleeping?" she tutted, her brown hair tied back in a messy bun as she whisked the mixture in the bowl.

Nessie mewled _**Mum are we having the muffins for breakfast?**_

Bella's eyes became slightly unfocused as we talked telepathically to her. She shook her head and grinned.

"No that's for later on, my sweeties need a big breakfast, knowing how much energy you three use up in a day." She chuckled as she poured the omelet mixture into the pan. "Stay inside please because I don't you messing up your clothes before breakfast."

I felt the kid's disappointment as I walked into the living room.

I dropped them from my jaws and they shook their fur out in relief.

"I can't feel my feet" Andy giggled as he stretched out on the floor, back to his normal form.

Nessie had turned into a white mouse, running haphazardly between my legs and around the room. I went back to my normal self and saw Nessie crawl into Andy's pocket.

Andy squealed as he felt her moving around in his back pocket, "T-there's a-a mouse in my p-pocket!" he laughed as my daughter tickled his hand. I chuckled as I left them to go upstairs to take a shower.

* * *

><p>"Mum you gave him the biggest one!" Nessie cried at the table. Andy tried not to look pleased at her annoyance and kept his eyes wide and innocent.<p>

Bella shook her head at her stubborn daughter, "They're both the same size sweetie, look I'll give you a big hash brown OK?" she gave her one of the large potatoes. Nessie glanced at her brother who pressed his lips together and tried not to show his jealousy. He looked up to me desperately.

"Daddy isn't it I have the biggest omelet?" he asked, his voice rising. I nodded for his benefit.

"Yes son, but you better eat all of it alright?" I warned him. He nodded confidently.

"Of course, I know I'll be the _first_ to finish" he stated proudly. Nessie glanced at his plate.

"_No_, you can't say that; it isn't a race _Andy_, right mummy?" she looked at Bella desperately. My mate looked at me and we shared a small smile before she answered.

"Of course not darling" she poured them their juice and they both glanced at each other's to see who had the most.

Bella ran her hand through our son's curly locks.

"You're hair needs trimming again" she stated. Andy shook his mother's hand out of his hair and smoothed it back down with both hands.

"_Muuum_, stop it" he whined at her. Nessie looked across the table to me, her hand over her mouth as she held in her giggles.

"Grandpa Carlisle is good at cutting your hair, we should go to him later today" she continued. I looked, amused at my son as he moaned into his food.

There was a knock at the door.

I pulled away from the table to answer it, wiping the crumbs off me I opened the door, expecting Emmett-

I gasped. Bella heard me and came to my side at the door

"What, who is i-_A_…_Amber?_ Is that you?" Bella widened her eyes. I bet our faces both looked like identical to each other. There was an old friend- a person I never thought I would see again, right on my front door.

Her ginger hair (**A/N Was her hair ginger? I can't remember, oh well)** was cut shorter and only reached her shoulders. She was wearing torn jeans and a green jumper. She looked just as shocked to see us as we were of her.

"Oh my god," she whispered "_Bella?_" Amber squinted at us carefully. "_Edward?_" she shook her head. "What…I thought..."

My mate smiled at her softly and touched her arm. "I think you should come inside"

We went back inside, but both of us failed to notice the face, hidden within the trees; the face of a lion. It turned and slinked back the way it came.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Gasp. Who is that lion? **

**I don't exactly know myself. Hehe...**

**If anyone has cool ideas they want to put through to the story then do not hesitate to message me. ASAP. I haven't started writing Chapter 9 YET so any ideas I will try my best to get it in. It has to be in the flow of the story. My mind is half-blank and I need ideas to light the creative fire in my head again. **

**Chapters will be posted at random so keep a watch out! **

**Is it Mewled/Meowed/Mewed when a cat makes that sound...I sound completely stupid don't I? xD**

**Review and tell me what you think!**


	9. Getting Over It

**Disclaimer: Hey readers! I'm truly sorry for the long wait. Writer's Block is a pain in the derriere.**

**This story is completely un-beta'd (I have no idea how those things work) so all spelling/grammar errors are all mine. If I get some information/punctuation/grammar seriously wrong then be free to yell at me through PM. I really appreciate you all reading this story, those who stuck with it. Every review just makes my day :] **

**I'll stop the sentimental stuff now. Enjoy Chapter 9! **_**PS: If you haven't read the previous story 'The Shape Shifters' I will now recommend you to **_**go back**_** and **_**read it**_**. It will clear up any confusion.**_

**B.P. O.V**

I can't believe she was here, actually here. In our home. She's in our home.

"I can't believe you're here!" she said rather energetically. We led her into the living room and she sat down on one of the chairs. I could see that her eyes were wide with questions unanswered. While I scanned her face I saw her eyes take notice of the wedding ring that was seated comfortably on my finger.

"Oh, you two are together?" she smiled. I showed off my ring proudly, squeezing my mate's hand.

"19 years" I stated. I quickly thought of our two children still in the kitchen. Amber seemed to know anyway.

"Aw guys you're like a proper little family, what are their names?" she asked, smiling warmly at me.

I felt myself smiling along her "Renesmee and Andrew, they're incredibly gifted, of course; they take after their father" I glanced at Edward.

Amber turned to him. "I didn't think you had it in you, Edward"

"Thanks Amber" he smiled his famous crooked smile.

She smiled sadly, "I wish I had a mate, someone to love…"

I put my hand on her knee, "You'll find someone, no-one would be able to escape those eyes and that hair and _not_ fall in love with you"

I thought I saw a blush when she put her head down. Edward decided to take hold of the conversation. "So, where have you been in the last 20 years?"

Amber looked up and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, since you two escaped I was desperate to get out as well, now we knew that it was possible!" she threw her hands up. "It was nearly every day that Aro sent the guards to find you," she shook her head "We were cautious of what we could talk about, I could never tell the Volturi that I helped you two escape- I would've been hanged in the gardens!" I flinched.

"How did you leave?" Bella asked, her eyes alighting with curiosity.

"Yeah…you're here, that was 20 years ago" Edward added.

Amber rolled her eyes; "Way to go genius, yeah…20 years…doesn't feel like it, heck we don't even look like it" she giggled but sighed as she got into her story. "Well…one day, Aro went a little crazy and took everyone outside the castle to …..(Flashback) he he.

_~Flashback~ (In Amber's P.O.V)_

"_Okay everyone get the hell up! Get your lazy animal butts off the ground and get out of that damned door!" a vampire in their black robe screamed at us from inside the tight prison room cells Aro moved us to when Isabella and Edward escaped. _

_Many others looked at me in fear and all I could was give my looks of support and whispers of support. I had no idea what they were going to do to us but we would all take it together no matter what they threw at us._

"_Get a move on you damn mutants!" the nasally voice seemed to go straight to my head. I winced._

"_Come on Amber" Jamile said next to me and touched my arm. _

_A whole wave of mixed emotions surged through me as we walked to the open air._

_I thought I would never see this again._

_The blue sky was almost surreal. Everyone else gasped quietly to themselves or started murmuring to each other, nudging and pointing to the sky._

_Jamile beside me had closed her eyes, breathing in deep breaths to relive the limited time. _

_No one should be limited to this._

_The small moment was short lived as a cold voice echoed over us. I shivered as it seemed to go straight to my head._

"_Hello my treasures," the dead voice, coated with sweetness, spoke to us. I craned my head over the people to see a robed figure waltzing through our small crowd. The utter hatred was boiling, bubbling inside my chest and I had to fight to keep the bile from flying out and making contact with his face._

_I didn't want to die here._

_I wanted to die with my mate by my side…our grandchildren surrounding us. I wanted to die like that, not like this, not here._

_I felt a sharp pain in my arm, I snapped open my eyes that I didn't know was closed and looked sharply at Jamile beside me._

"_What was that for?" I hissed. Jamile didn't look at me, her lips turned up ever so slightly in amusement._

"_You were spacing out there Am" she whispered back. "Look" she nodded pointedly at the sky._

_I followed her gaze but was confused about what she was trying to tell me._

_She nudged me harder and I then heard her in my head._

_**Fly… **_

"Did you do it?" Edward asked, his fist resting on the side of his face as he was listening. Bella was thinking the same question; she glanced at Amber as she chewed on her lip.

"That was years ago..." she took a deep breath. "It wasn't that easy to get up and take off anytime you want.

"_Jamile don't!" I yelled in her head. She ignored me, plunging into the sky…_

_The sound of ripping echoed through the field._

_I screamed._

"She didn't even make it 10ft" Amber murmured, tears pooling in her eyes. Bella had tears in her eyes as she stood up and hugged Amber comfortably. She quietly sobbed into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Amber," Bella whispered

"She was like a daughter to me" she whispered brokenly. Bella looked over Amber's shoulder to catch Edward's eye who was sitting, watching the whole affair. **Do something!** She demanded as she comforted Amber.

Edward cleared his throat "Um, Amber do you want to meet the kids, I'm sure they'll be excited to see you, they like meeting new people."

Amber broke away from Bella and nodded, wiping her eyes. Bella looked at her with her inky brown eyes and smiled.

"They're in the kitchen" she said, turning around and going into the kitchen.

Amber looked around as they walked into the hallway "Your home is lovely" she said, mostly to herself, running her hand along the wall. Edward turned around and smiled.

"We had a plan what we wanted our house to look like, Esme and Alice helped us with the wood flooring as well" he said. Amber nodded slowly.

"_Esme and Alice_?" The names didn't ring a bell.

"Our vampire family" Edward explained. He rethought his words and chuckled, shaking his head.

"Vampir-"

"I'll explain it later" Edward said, quickly catching up with Bella.

_The hell you will _Amber thought to herself.

She followed them into the kitchen.

There were two children sitting down on the breakfast table, they looked up as everyone walked in. Amber was shocked at how much they looked like their parents, they were adorable.

Her heart warmed as the little boy smiled at her, the same heartbreaking smile that his father has.

"This is Amber, you remember what we told you about her?" Bella asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Recognition flashed in their eyes and they jumped off their chairs, running to Amber excitedly.

"Auntie Amber!" they squealed, hugging her legs. Amber laughed and petted their heads, the ache in her heart after losing Jamile lessened, she smiled.

"Hi kids, what you eating?" she looked over to the table, _breakfast _she thought. "Desert?" she said in mock excitement.

"_Breakfast!_" Renesmee giggled her hand over her mouth.

"A big breakfast!" Andrew added. He pulled Amber's arm with his little strength to the table. "Look!"

They both sat on their seats and beckoned Amber to join them. She sat down and looked at all the food, her mouth began to water.

"Feel free to take whatever you want" Edward said who was washing up the used dishes. "Bella makes far too much for 4 people." He said. He and Bella shared a look across the kitchen.

Bella blushed in embarrassment, her head down.

Amber filled her plate with food and tug in, she moaned in delight. "This is really good"

"Mummy made muffins too!" Andrew said gleefully, his mouth full with toast. Renesmee glared over the table at him.

"You don't talk with your mouth full Andy" she said sternly. Amber found it simply adorable.

"I wasn't talking!" he insisted.

"Daaaad!" Renesmee whined as Amber chewed on a sausage watching on in amusement. "Isn't it Andy was talking with his mouth full?"

"I can remember him talking with his mouth full, yes" Edward said, raising his eyebrow with Andrew whose cheeks flashed a shade of pink. Nobody likes to be told off by their sister.

Renesmee smiled in triumph, grinning like a Cheshire cat to her sulking brother over the table. "_Told you_" she mouthed.

Not long after the kids were finished with their breakfast, they were outside playing in the garden. Amber was helping Bella and Edward clean up, despite Bella assuring her that she didn't need to.

"I ate from your plates, I'll help clean up, see look? We're practically a team!" Amber laughed lightly, drying the plates and putting them into the cupboard.

Edward rolled his eyes as he was washing the plates, "Amber you do know that we have a dishwasher?" he said quietly, he looked at her face and burst out laughing.

"But it's broken" Bella quickly added, shooting a look at her mate. Amber shook her head, laughing quietly.

"This is fine, I don't mind getting dirty once in a while" she admitted, smiling.

Bella smirked, "Oh really?" she held a bowl of washing up liquid in her hand and was smiling mischievously. Amber spotted it and quickly re-thought her words.

"I mean, helping out, doing the hard-chores" she spluttered out. Bella laughed joyfully, rinsing the bowl out and handing it to Amber to dry.

"Yes I know Amber, I was just playing with you" she chuckled, next to her, Edward was hiding a smile.

"Speaking of playing...why the hell have you gone soft on our enemies?"

Edward sighed; this was going to be hard.

"Amber-"

"Edward" a voice outside caused Amber to stiffen. The smell wafted around her nose and caused every hair to stand up in fear..._vampire._

_~What will Amber do? How will she react knowing that her 'almost-family' has befriended some bloodsuckers?~_

_Fanfiction is going on and off on me so just bear with me when a chapter doesn't come soon. Hopefully I can deal with the problem without changing accounts or any of my stories being sabotaged. If anything happens I'll be sure to update you guys. _

_As always, reviews are appreciated, they make my day. Though i might not be able to reply PM if i can't log in :/ _

_ Anyhoo, Reviooo! _


	10. Dramatics

**Here's Chapter 10! **

**(Note the length: Making up for not updating as fast as I hoped. Reviews make me write faster!)**

**Enjoy fellow readers!**

* * *

><p><strong>Amber P.O.V<strong>

I was torn

My instincts were obviously screaming for me to run, to get as far away from the vampire as possible.

But I couldn't leave the others; as much as I wanted to flee I could never leave my family behind. Yes, I considered Edward and Bella and the amazing kids as my family. They were all I had; I wasn't going to leave them right after I just found them.

I straightened my back, prepared for defending my family.

"Amber," Edward said in warning. "Alice is fine, she won't hurt us"

_Alice?_ I eyed the pixie-looking girl; her face was soft and calm. It was a major difference to the experiences I had with the hard, cold, menacing monsters at Volterra.

Alice smiled brightly at me and held out her tiny hand.

"Hello Amber I'm Alice" she said happily.

I looked at Bella and Edward; they looked like they trusted her. But…but-

"But she's a vampire!" I blurted out, stepping back from the tiny girl. Anger bubbled up inside my chest; didn't they know what vampires did to us? They must've brainwashed them; they looked so at ease at the vampire on their territory too. I remember what Edward said…'_Esme and Alice helped us with the flooring too…'_

_Esme_, another vampire?

"For Heaven's sake guys, they're vampires! They're not your _family_!" I spat out, disgust was clear in my voice.

"Not all vampires are the same Amber!" Edward growled at me. I widened my eyes; Edward had _never _growled at me. I failed to hide the shock that flitted across my face.

"When me and Bella had escaped the Cullens were the ones we found, we realized that not all vampires are heartless murderers, they're actually nice! They took us in straight away, treated us like family. They supported us with Bella's pregnancy, made us forget that terrible time at Volterra. They ARE family to us, now shake Alice _goddamned_ hand and introduce yourself!" he finished heatedly.

I blinked; looking at Alice's outstretched hand. I looked at her, there was no monster. Why would there be? Bella and Edward would never let a monster near their family.

Guilt swept through me, I shook my head as my face flushed red. "Oh my god I'm so sorry, I thought you were…" I shook my head and took Alice's hand.

"Amber" I greeted myself, trying not to wince at the coldness of her hand. "I'm sorry this-"

"Stop apologizing!" Alice laughed and pulled her into a hug. "I love your hair, I have your outfit planned out already- it'll look _amazing_ on you!" she beamed.

My ears spun with the speed of her words, I looked warily at her. "How do you know it would look good on me?"

"Alice can see the future" Bella said.

I raised my eyebrows

"Aunty Alice!" two young voices squealed in excitement, stopping whatever I was going to say. Renesmee and Andrew ran from the garden door and pounced into Alice's arms.

"Hey sweeties!" she cooed, hugging them gently.

"Look what we found!" Andrew wriggled out of Alice's hug and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a dirty, soil ridden worm and held it up for Alice to see. Renesmee giggled.

"What is it?" Alice asked even though she knew what it was.

"A worm!" Andrew rolled his eyes, "Nessie wanted to eat it but I saved it just in time" he explained and flashed his toothy grin. My breath caught in my throat at the sudden resemblance of his father.

A gasp from the little girl made almost everyone in the room roll their eyes.

"I did not!"

"Of course not sweetie we believe you" Bella comforted her pouting daughter, pulling her into her arms and hitching her on her hip. "I think it's time for a bath as well" she added as Renesmee's dirty clothes wiped off on her shirt.

My heart melted at the sight of Renesmee's pouting face.

"You as well Andy" Bella called as she left the kitchen with Renesmee.

Edward disappeared behind the back kitchen door, he was so quiet and fast if I blinked I would've missed it.

I followed him, feeling Alex's eyes burning at the back of my head. I heard Andrew's tantrum in the kitchen and poked my head through the door. Bella had her hands on her hips with an annoyed and exasperated look on her face.

"Do you want me and Daddy to cancel the trip to the Natural History Museum?" she said. Strands of her rich, brown hair fell from her messy bun to her face.

Andrew gasped and shook his head furiously, tears pooling in his eyes.

"You promised mummy!" he wailed.

"Well come on" Bella gestured him to follow her and Andrew didn't hesitate, he was right on her heels as she left the kitchen.

Those little things, _family_ things bring a tear to my eye and cause my heart to clench in pain. But I know I have them. They _are_ my family and I wouldn't do anything to change that.

I had a smile on my face as I found Edward in the forest just out of the meadow/garden. He was leaning against a tree trunk, it still amazes me at how handsome he looks; he had all the girls (and boys) fawning over him at Volterra. He was a 6ft, 3 _'sex god'_ as Jamile used to say; the strong jaw bone, lean limbs with the perfect amount of muscles that was hidden by his black shirt, his bronze hair stood out like a beacon against the rough brown trunk, looking very similar to bed-hair.

He turned to look at me, his eyes were elsewhere.

"Amber" he cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. "What are you doing here?"

I shrugged, shifting my weight to my left foot.

"You looked troubled, I wanted to see what was bothering you" I cocked my head to the side "You didn't kill anyone did you?" I joked, though the joke ran flat.

He gave me a horrified look, "What? God no!" he then narrowed his eyes at me. "What about you Amber? Got anything to spill?"

I backtracked, _Okay,_ _that was unexpected._

"What are you talking about?" I said. Edward, impressively, raised one eyebrow at me. He got up from leaning against the tree and took a step toward me.

"Don't use that _crap_ on me Amber, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID!" he screamed in my face.

I felt my own anger starts to bubble inside me, who is he to talk like that to me?

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" I yelled back, standing on my tiptoes so I could be at his height but it was a wasted attempt, he was still taller than me.

Edward stepped back, his eyes flashed dangerously "I know what you did to that man yesterday, how could you be such a heartless monster!" he growled.

"What man?" I demanded "Please _enlighten_ me on what happened yesterday that made me _such_ a _heartless_ monster!" I crossed my arms and glared at the man who was quickly losing his patience.

"Edward!" Alice called across the garden. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his two fingers.

"What, Alice?" he snapped.

Alice was by my side instantly, her face hard "It wasn't her!"

Edward frowned but held his ground, flashing me an angry look. _Stubborn bastard_ I thought.

"I saw her!" he argued "She was in the forest and I was only a bit far away from her, she phased into a lion and ran off! She killed Tom!"

"I didn't kill anyone!" I shouted. I raised my hands in frustration because I knew it would just land on empty, _stubborn_ ears.

"Oh you're a great liar Amber, think you can show up on our doorstep and call it a coincidence? Think we'll _grovel_ at your feet with your _pathetic_ stories." He spat, his face inches to mine and he growled "Well guess what? I'm not _BUYING_ IT!"

I flinched away from his menacing glare. The truth was I _was_ there at the forest; I _did_ see him but was afraid of what he would've said. That man _Tom_…

"He knew our secret!" I screamed back into his face. That threw him. He reeled back in shock and disgust.

Alice looked shocked as well; I thought she could see the future?

"You didn't need to kill him" Edward said in a dangerously low voice, his eyes flashing. I gritted my teeth and looked away.

"It wasn't _me_ who killed him" I muttered. I saw Edward was going to say something but I quickly continued. "There was another one, I didn't know who it was but it was a lion too…Tom saw me phasing and he freaked, he was going to tell people! And…I didn't know what to do, the lion, he told me to make a distraction while he sorted it out." I explained, slowly looking back to Edward again.

"Oh for god's sake Edward I saved our secret from being exposed!" I exclaimed at his heated face. Alice was just standing still as a statue.

Edward leaned back on the tree trunk, as if the whole conversation made him emotionally drained. He ran his hand through his hair.

"It's not like I killed him myself or anything…" I continued.

"'_Not like I killed him myself or anything_?'" Edward repeated cynically "That's just a worse as you committing the murder yourself! You're sick Amber, and I don't _do_ sick people" he got up and straightened his back.

"Oh, so, what if you were in my position? Would you just let him go and risk having your, you're families' and oh, not to mention your whole _species'_ lives in jeopardy?" I shot back; he needed to see my side in this. I did it to protect _them_.

Edward shook his head in dismissal "No, I wouldn't kill the poor man, people deserve more than that…hypnotize him, erase his memory just not FRIGGIN' _KILL HIM_!" Edward yelled at my face. I cringed at his menacing tone. With that he turned and stalked back to the house.

He suddenly spun around to face me. His handsome, god-like features twisted in a feral snarl.

"And stay away from my children."

* * *

><p>"Alice what's going on?" Esme asked carefully, opening the door to let Alice enter the house with a lady who was crying her eyes out.<p>

Alice had called the house to warn them she was going to bring a friend home, and that she needed a place to crash. The phone call was short, brief and confusing. Esme spotted the state Alice's friend was in and immediately her mothering instincts took over.

"Oh, you poor girl!" she immediately fretted over the sobbing mess. She hugged her waist and led her to the sofa. "Let's get you cleaned up"

Alice went and sat down next to Amber, knowing that it would be difficult to get used to so many vampires in the same place.

Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie all sat down on the chair opposite them, they knew she wasn't a human because she didn't smell like one, she smelt more like Edward and Bella.

Carlisle arched his brow in question.

"Care to introduce your friend Alice?" he suggested, giving her a 'look'. Esme sat down with them at that moment.

Alice rolled her eyes "Guys, this is Amber-Bella and Edward's friend from Volterra" she explained in her natural high voice.

Amber peeked up from her hands, her eyes rimmed red. "You're the vampire family Edward was talking about?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Esme smiled gently "Yes, I'm Esme and this is my husband Carlisle." She gestured to the stunningly handsome blond-haired man beside her.

After all the introduces and Alice working her little charm Amber was quickly settled ito the guest room for the night.

"She's the Nomad?" Emmett boomed, the Cullens were having a family meeting over the long table in the dining room- the only use they had for it.

Alice nodded her head once "Edward said some pretty mean stuff to her about the whole Tom incident, he said she couldn't see Andy or Nessie again"

Rosalie made an irritated sound "I told you he was a stubborn bastard"

"What about Tom? She was the lion who killed him?" Esme asked in a hushed voice.

Alice shook her head. "No, it wasn't her, it was another lion. Tom saw her phase and freaked out, she was told to make a distraction while the lion got rid of him."

"Oh my!" Esme gasped, her hand over her mouth. "Poor lady"

Rosalie snorted, "_Poor lady?_ Mom it was bound to happen anyway, Amber should've been more careful."

"It didn't mean Edward had to say that to her because of it" Esme argued, obviously feeling for the young woman that was sleeping in the guest room.

"So, who is this lion?" Carlisle asked Alice.

Alice made a face as she shrugged. "I can't see them as clearly as I can see Edward or Bella. All I can see is flashes of a lion's face and trees." She said irritably. "They're obviously a Shape Shifter if Amber was able to communicate with him."

Jasper spoke up then "If there are Shape Shifters about then someone should inform them about the treaty line. We don't want to sit around until it's too late and someone gets killed."

Everyone nodded in agreement. But what they didn't know, it was already too late.

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><p><strong>Feeling sorry for Amber? Or are you on Edward's side? <strong>

**Review and tell me what you think!**

_**(got any cool ideas you want to put through for chapter 11+ PM me)**_


	11. Love And Fear

**A/N: Hey Guys! Sorry for the delay, but here it is! Don't be afraid to leave reviews at the end! - La**

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><p><strong>Jacob P.O.V<strong>

The forest whipped passed me in a green blur as I sprinted towards my goal, my large limbs exerting me forward in adrenaline and excitement.

I jumped nimbly over fallen down trees and ducked under low-hanging branches. My ears picked up the sound of another running pair of legs so I pushed myself harder, the wind blowing hard against my face as I exerted my full strength and energy into the last yard. When I finally reached the destination I skidded to a stop, the soil flying as my paws dug hard into the moist forest floor.

'_Ha!'_ I thought smugly '_I told you I could beat you…sorry Leah but, swallow your pride and admit it-I _am_ faster than you' _I turned to Leah who had stopped behind me.

'_Shut up Jacob'_ Leah snarled at me, her grayish coat vibrating at her nasty growl aimed at me. '_I can still beat you with my stamina; you always push too hard and end up getting tired before you finish a single perimeter check'_ she shot back at me.

I narrowed my eyes at her

'_The hell I get tired! You're just pissed that I beat you when you thought you were going to win!'_

'_Jacob! Leah!'_ Sam's voice went through our heads, being Wolf Shifters we could all communicate buy thought, so every thought we share or think we can all hear it. Sometimes it can be useful but other times it's just plain annoying.

'_We have a problem, the pack is phasing now so I'll be able to talk to everyone'_ Sam said. I momentarily forgot about me and Leah's little tiff and started to run to where Sam was. In his mind we could all see the place where he was so I set off there.

'_Sam what happened?'_ I asked, feeling the rest of the pack enter the mental conversation as they phased.

'_What's wrong?'_

'_Mom's gonna freak if I don't get my homework done'_

'_Hope we actually get to kill some vampires this time'_

'_Yo my brothers!'_

'_Ugh…I just ripped my new shoes'_

The overload of thoughts overwhelmed me and I tried unsuccessfully to block out the contemporary invading swirl of madness.

'_Guys!_' Sam's alpha voice rang out nice and clear in our heads, the loud thoughts quickly became quieter.

I spotted where Sam was perched on a rock and sat on the damp grass.

'_There were some sightings of an African lion not far from here.'_ He paused.

'_An _African _lion? Like with the mane and stuff?'_ Seth asked excitedly _'Hey! They might be Shape Shifters! We could meet up with them and-'_

'_Seth! They're not our friends!' _I growled in annoyance_ 'Just because you had a little non-violent encounter with one doesn't mean everyone else are in our good pocket' _I thought to him, and the pack at the same time.

Sam perked up then _'Yes, Jacob's right. What's worse is that this lion was found on our land. They might've already passed the Cullens or the Masens but someone needs to tell them they reached the treaty line before someone gets hurt'_

'_Why don't we just kill it?' A thought popped into my head 'I mean…if it was on our land then it breaks the Treaty, we can do that'_

'_Yeah! They're on our turf!' _Paul thought excitedly _Yes! Finally some action!_

Sam shook his head _'That wouldn't be fair; this Treaty doesn't exist to vampires or shifters who are outside of the area. They don't know about it and obviously someone didn't tell them.'_

'_Maybe they did'_ I added thoughtfully _'But they're just acting oblivious, a silent spy.'_

I sensed people's wariness to the current situation and quickly took advantage of it.

'_If we wait long enough on what to do then god knows what will happen between'_

As if on cue, a shout full of pain and fear echoed through the trees. I whipped my head, locating where the source of the voice came from.

Sam quickly stood up, his ears perked up _'Let's go check it out'_

We all ran to the voice, the cries became louder and louder as we ran closer. Sam phased back and quickly dressed into his normal clothes while the rest of us circled the trees (out of sight) around the crying person.

It was a young lady; she looked about in her late 20's. Her jet black hair was messy and dirty with soil and moss and her clothes were torn with multiple gashes on her arms and legs. Her face was scrunched up in pain while her mouth was open with terrified sobs.

Sam ran up to the lady, concern and anger in his eyes. He knelt at her side and checked her pulse. "Miss? What happened?" he asked softly as her cries subsided. She rolled her head to look at him, fear flashing in her eyes.

"Who-Who are you?" she asked in a small voice. She suddenly gasped, her eyes wide as she scanned the trees. "No! You must leave, you must go!" she cried, pushing against Sam's arms in fear.

Sam shook his head "Go from what? Who did this to you?" he asked almost desperately. Needing to know who hurt one his people.

The woman touched her scarred face and winced. I was quickly reminded of Emily, her scars were like that. I knew Sam would take this scar personally, heck we _all _knew that.

'_Considering her was the one who did it himself'_ Embry thought.

I cursed the mental telepathic reading.

The woman looked around in fear "the _Devil_" she whispered. "It was a lion, a bear, a tiger, the…it was everything! It kept changing!" she winced at her wound. Blood was starting to stain the forest floor now.

"Let me help you, I'll take you to a doctor and they can clean up your wounds Ok?" Sam suggested, lifting the broken woman into his arms and walking back to La Push.

"Go back to base; I'll come when I've got her sorted. We can work something out there" Sam ordered so quietly that the lady couldn't hear.

We turned back but just as I was turning something caught my eye. I turned back quickly and saw the tail of a lion disappearing into the trees.

The rest of the pack, being able to see my thoughts, saw exactly what I saw and snarled after the retreating form.

'_Get it before it's too late!'_ Paul said as he launched himself forward to chase the shifter. I followed him, my nose picking up the scent of the monster. The rest of the pack ran after it, determined to take down this shifter.

And this time, we were going to kill it.

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><p><em><strong>Daddy it feels weird!<strong>_ Nessie giggled, her young calf legs wobbled as she struggled to reclaim her balance. Andy was already up, leaning against Bella and watching his sister wobble on her thin legs. He would've fallen down if it wasn't for the weight of his mother and Andy doesn't _do _falling in front of sister. That would've been _too_ embarrassing.

_**Come on Nessie, you're soooo slow**_ he teased her much to her annoyance. Nessie looked to her dad, the bull elk, and bleated.

_**Dad! He keeps teasing me!**_ She whined and wobbled slightly on the spot.

_**Andy your sister is trying to practice, save the teasing for later please **_Edward said. He was scanning the trees when Nessie squealed. He looked back at his joyous daughter and tried to hide a smile.

_**Look everyone I'm doing it!**_ Nessie laughed in delight. However her four legs were stretched apart tensely that one little push and her leg's careful balance would collapse on each other. Her face, however, was content on being able to get this far.

_**Try to rein your legs in a bit sweetie**_ Bella suggested. Nessie did what she said and she was very carefully supporting herself. Edward trotted up to her and supported her as she tried to take a step forward.

_**The first time it feels like walking on stilts but the more you do it, it becomes natural**_. He assured both daughter and son who were quickly learning their first steps in a few seconds.

_**Hey mum look! I'm an elk!**_ Nessie laughed as she chased her brother in the garden. Andy nudged her playfully and bleated loudly in her perked ears.

_**It's not elk it's 'calf', right mum?**_ Andy trotted over to Bella who was sitting in the long grass, her legs folded beneath her brown-haired belly.

_**That's right**_ Bella responded, internally rolling her eyes. Edward leaned down and caressed his face against Bella's. She looked up with a smile glinting in her eyes, Edward 'smiled' back.

_**That's right**_ Andy repeated to his puzzled sister with smugness in his tone. Nessie mewed and bit her brother's ear playfully.

Edward grunted and raked his foot on the ground to get his children's attention. _**Ok, let's take a walk in the forest, remember the rules we told you?**_ Edward asked as Bella lifted herself from the ground and went to join the group. Andy and Nessie sighed simultaneously

_**Yes daddy,**_ Andy replied as him and Nessie paired up to get ready for their walk. _**No pushing, don't walk off without an adult, don't talk to strangers, always be aware of what's around you, always listen to Mummy and Daddy, and…umm-**_

_**Oh I know this one Daddy!**_ Nessie piped up. Andy flattened his ears in irritation. _**Never phase back to anything unless Daddy or Mummy gives us **_**purrrr**_**misson.**_ Nessie beamed at her parents, despite her struggle of remembering that weird word.

_**Was I right Dad?**_ Nessie asked happily, making Andy droop his ears lower.

_**Yep, you and Andy got everything correct **_Edward smiled, _**just be careful about the animals around you, a mountain lion eats elk like us. **_

The twins nodded their heads furiously; instantly remembering the _Book of Prey and Predators_ where the big mountain lion had its teeth sunk into an elk carcass.

_**You'll protect us won't you? You and Mummy?**_ Andy asked, his beady eyes looking up at Bella whose eyes softened.

_**Of course, we'll always be here to protect you; your Daddy and I are very strong. I bet we're stronger than all the animals in this forest. **_Bella said her voice thoughtful. She cast her eyes around her as they set off in the path of the forest.

She was true; her and Edward's form was toned and their lithe bodies were healthy and strong. Their muscles contracted as they walked, showing beneath under their delicate but almost unbreakable skin. Any animal trying to sink their teeth into them was sure to break a few teeth without even puncturing the skin.

They trotted across the bridge, over the sloshing lake and reached the grown out wild forest. The 'protection' cameras were still installed (regardless of the obvious outrage they caused) so the family had to be very cautious of what they did.

_**Hey Andy, d'you know what this reminds me of?**_ Nessie thought to her brother who was trying to be tall like his Dad, his head up and his strides long and in time, much to Edward's amusement. Andy turned back from Edward and walked by his sister.

_**Reminds you of what?**_ He thought curiously. Nessie leaped forward and bleated really loudly.

_**Bambi **_**duh!**She grinned and trotted back to her brother who rolled his eyes.

_**Bambi is a boy dummy! **_He nudged Nessie with his shoulder. Nessie scowled at him and nudged him back harder.

_**I know that! And dun' call me dummy!**_

_**You dun' know anything Nessie, you spend aaall your time watching princess and Charlie and Lola movies with Lapina and think you're the princess in the family by making 'pink milk' with mummy. Silly! **_He regretted as soon as he said it. Nessie's face was so hurt that Andy really considered changing back so he could hug his sister as hard as he could but he knew he couldn't do that.

_**No I didn' mean that Nessie!**_ He quickly said. But Nessie went to Bella, her eyes telling her feelings. Bella looked down at her daughter's broken face and leaned down to rub her face comfortingly, hearing her argument with her brother.

_**Its Ok Nessie he didn't mean it**_ she reassured her. Nessie shook her head and mewed softly

_**He was really mean mummy, he meant it! I know!**_ She walked alongside, feeling better knowing that Bella was right beside her.

_**I'm sure Andy feels terrible; don't work yourself up about it- this walk is supposed to be fun!**_ Bella nudged her back to Nessie's playfully who giggled and did it back.

Their walk continued down a path, Edward smelt the change in air and headed towards the moist air. Grinning, he led them to a huge river. The river was a deep blue with mini streams of water coming from the hills next to it. The grass was really green and luscious here, a few female elks were quietly grazing away from their herd and wild hares were poking their heads out of their deep burrows near the huge trees that surrounded them.

It was beautiful.

_**Woah!**_ Andy gasped, looking around, trying to sink everything in. He looked back at his sister to gauge her reaction; her eyes were wide with wonder and excitement.

Andy looked up at Edward, his eyes pleading _**Daddy can we stay here for a while? **_

_**Go on **_he nodded,_** but remember, don't talk to s-**_

_**-Strangers yeah Daddy I **_**know** Andy rolled his eyes and him and his sister ran to the river, splashing about and shrieking.

Bella was sitting on her legs, watching the calves frolic about in the water, their splashes annoying two cow elks that were grazing close to the river_. I wonder if there's a herd nearby_ she thought she didn't want her kids getting into any danger by a dangerous bull that thought more about its place in its herd than the welfare of two young calves.

Edward trotted up beside her, grazing the grass _**It's nice isn't it?**_ He said to Bella who turned her neck slightly to give him a warm look. Edward's breath hitched at her eyes, he would never grow tired of seeing his beautiful Bella in animal form.

_**The grass?**_ She asked teasingly. A female elk was watching Edward curiously, she was about to approach him but Bella sent her a death glare so terrifying the young female elk backed off in fear. Edward chuckled at his mate. Bella whipped her head towards her tall mate as he spoke

_**No…the area, the kids love it, and, so do I**_ he admitted, looking out as he heard Nessie shriek in delight at Andy's splashes. The two soul mates were sitting in comfortable silence, basking in the moist air.

Edward sniffed, turning his head slightly but just seeing the mass of trees behind him. _Probably just a passing animal _he thought to himself dismissively.

_**Edward can you hear that?**_ She asked so quietly, her ears perking to the far away sound. Edward listened hard, there was a faint sound of moving feet, multiple feet. It was getting louder and louder…

He looked to Andrew and Nessie who were oblivious to the sound, he looked at Bella who was already up on her feet, not daring to phase.

_**Edward we should check it out**_ Bella said urgently moving to the trees.

_**What about the kids?**_ I asked in a rush. The sound was getting louder now, the forest floor vibrated angrily and a few leaves fell from the high trees.

_**They'll be fine **_Bella said firmly, running to the threatening sound.

I just hoped she was right.

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><p><strong>AN: Will she be right?**

**Reviews are warmly welcomed with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and shortbread. -La**


	12. Beauty And the Beast

**A/N- Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. But, it's here now! This is where things spice up! And, this story is Un-Beta'd so all grammar mistakes etc. are mine. Feel free to quote any mistakes and I will do my best to correct them!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight but it's fun to make up stories with it :) **

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><p>*<strong>Jacob<strong>*

_It's getting away!_ Paul growled. We could see in his thoughts how far away the shifter was from us, he calculated the possibility of launching himself at the shifter and succeeding, it was unlikely.

_Don't risk it Paul_ I warned him.

_Damn thing's fast! _Embry thought, the lion shifter jumped nimbly over fallen trees and sped towards the rocky cliff where the border ends.

_It's going out of the border, we have to leave it!_ Seth thought behind me

_Damn the treaty! I'm not letting it get away!_ I thought angrily. This shifter cannot harm our people on our land and get away with it! The treaty is broken and we have the right to go on their land and rip that god-damn shifter apart.

I felt everyone's hesitance when the trees cleared away, I growled sharply, lurching myself forward with all my strength.

_Damn it!_

My teeth snapped at air, inches from the shifter's beige fur as it jumped at the cliff edge, its form changing to a coal black crow and flew to the other side.

I didn't stop- I jumped after it, the rest of the pack following after me. The treaty was broken anyway.

As soon as my feet touched the ground the stench of vampire assaulted my nose. The black crow quickly shifted to a black panther and it sprinted into the forest again. The scent of vampire spiked our instincts to kill and we pushed ourselves faster. The tail of the shifter was only a few feet away; I focused on it and pounced.

_Die, killer_

Suddenly I was knocked from the air, sent spiralling backwards into a fern tree. Leaves fell to the forest floor and the ground shook. I lurched back onto my feet, the pack growled around me. A ferocious black and yellow cheetah with startling green eyes bared its teeth, crouched in a territorial stance; he growled at us, another cheetah with brown eyes flanked him, snarling lowly.

I bared my teeth at them and snarled, preparing to attack.

_Jacob, wait_ Sam's alpha voice commanded us. I tensed my muscles, growling at the two shifters that stood before us.

_It's Edward and Bella, they're just defending themselves._ Sam told us, I looked at him in disbelief.

_More like defending that shifter!_ I growled.

_They're probably wondering why we're on their land_ Seth mused.

_Duh, cause the treaty is broken, stupid!_ Leah snapped at her brother.

Stop! Sam commanded again. Jacob and Embry phase back with me so we can talk to them.

I snarled but obeyed, quickly putting my shorts on as so did Sam and Embry. I crossed, my arms over my bare chest; not liking our vulnerability while they are still phased.

"It would be better if we could talk to you this way" Sam said, eyeing the two shifters.

_Edward_ and _Bella_ both went back to their human forms, I snorted when I saw that they were fully clothed. _So not fair_, the thought passed through my head fleetingly my brain didn't have time to register it.

Edward was the first to speak.

"Does the treaty not mean anything to you?!" he hissed, obviously pissed at us. I smirked at his discomfort.

"You tell that to your disgusting shifter we caught harming one of our people mere minutes ago!" I growled back, clenching my fists.

"Jacob" Sam warned me. I huffed.

"What shifter?" Bella asked, her eyes flitting to Sam and me.

"A lion, the treaty is broken because a shifter harmed one of our people. Surely you are aware of this shifter?" Sam raised a brow. I saw Edward clench his jaw. _Guilty as charged _I thought smugly.

"Yes we were aware of a nomad shifter but...we never saw them, so we could've never had told them about the treaty."

_Ridiculous!_ I ranted; they were just stalling so the shifter could get away! I looked to Sam desperately, but he was still contemplating what Edward said.

"Look here Edward," I started, not bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice. "Your little shifter friend broke the treaty, we have the right to step pass you and your pathetic stalling and rip that shifter to shreds and don't even bother say I'm wrong." I growled, feeling a tingling in my fingertips.

Edward snarled at me, falling into a crouch. "I can easily rip your pathetic head off your shoulders, _boy _don't start something you can't finish" he threatened, his eyes flashing dangerously. I just glared back at him.

"Enough Jacob" Sam ordered. I sighed, crossing my arms against my chest.

Sam looked back to Edward and Bella "So what are we going to do with this shifter?" _Rip them apart._

"I don't think it would be wise to kill them, we should try to talk to them and see what they want" Bella said, obviously aiming that at me. _Talk?_ _She's gotta be kidding with me._

The rest of the pack growled at her sentence, thinking the same thing I was. Sam nodded, giving me a warning, which I huffed at, he replied.

"Yes, I think that would be the best idea, though if they do not respect the treaty and harm anymore of our people we will kill it" He spoke clear with a strong conviction. Internally I smirked. _Best piece of information I heard all morning. _

Bella nodded "Okay, if you have its scent we can-"

She was interrupted by a sharp growl echoing through the forest followed by a scream not far from here. We all froze, I phased, my wolf ears twitching, perched up high to locate the sounds of distress. And, of course, I was bombarded with thoughts.

_What the hell was that?_

_I bet that shifter attacked another person_

_Definitely going to get him now!_

_I keep smelling disgusting bloodsucker stench, oh my god how do they live like this?_

_Hey Jake, Edward called you a 'boy' I can't believe you just took that_

_Work together my ass_

_Let's go!_

All these thoughts happened in one single second before we all rushed off in the direction of the sound we all heard.

_He's not getting away now_

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><p>*<strong>Renesmee<strong>*

Breathing is nice

Or...just smelling. No point having eyes if you can't smell what's around you. I sighed heavily, _yeah-breathing is nice._

I lay, sprawled against the grass; my eyes followed a baby bird lounging in its nest of sticks. My hands rested behind my head as I stared up at it, watching its movements in a trance.

My breathed in deeply through my nose, smiling.

When I opened my eyes again my stupid brother was blocking my view of the bird nest. I huffed, pushing him away.

"Andy, go away"

"What were you looking at?" he didn't move, standing over me. I scowled.

"A baby bird in its nest, but I can't see it because you're _blocking it!_" I nudged his leg with my foot with more pressure.

"Don't kick me" he complained in a whiny voice. I rolled my eyes, he was so weak. Like a human.

"But you're not moving away" I shot back, nudging him again.

Andy sighed and flopped down on the grass beside me. I turned my head to him to scowl, showing my annoyance but he was raking the tree with his eyes.

"I want to see the bird too, where did you see it?" he asked curiously, his curly bronze matted between him and the grass.

I sighed and pointed to the nest just above our heads. "Right there, next to that odd looking branch" I murmured.

I kept from rolling my eyes as he gasped. "Cool, it looks so pretty, d'you know what type of bird it is?" he asked in a faint breath. I sighed quietly; give it to my brother to ruin my quiet time and bombard me with unnecessary questions.

"Robin" I answered, staring at the little bird pecking at the nest in fascination. I breathed in deeply through my nose again, smelling the distinct aromas of nature tingling at my nose-honeysuckle, damp earth, fresh water, pollen, moss...

I turned my head, scanning the edge of the clearing suspiciously. The shadowy darkness of the trees and bushes made me uneasy. _C'mon Nessie_, I told myself, _don't be scared of the dark. _

"Nessie" I turned my head, Andy was staring at me. He looked over my head to the edge of the clearing, a frown etched on his face. "What were you looking at?"

"I...nothing, I just thought I saw something" I replied, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand. "I'm tired, when are we going home?" I asked my brother, who was staring at the birds nest. He shrugged.

"Hey, where did Mum and Dad go?" he asked suddenly, as he was saying that I quickly whipped my head to the edge of the clearing again. Something wasn't right.

When Andy didn't hear me reply he poked my shoulder. "Nessie?" My ears pricked but I stayed silent.

"Nessie, what are you looking at?" he whispered, I knew he was trying to look for what I'd seen. "Nessie you're scaring me, Ness!" he pleaded. I tore my eyes away and sat up, reaching for my brother's wrist.

"Andy we have to leave" I whispered, picking myself up from the floor. Andy scrambled up after me, his face twisting in confusion and fear.

"What?"

"Something's coming" I whispered in his ear and yanked on his arm, running out of the clearing. Whatever was after us was coming, fast. I just had a feeling; there was a change in the air. The peaceful serenity that I could smell in the air mixed with something strange, not evil but dangerous all the same.

I just knew we couldn't stay there.

"Come on!" I hissed, running through the dense forest with Andy trailing behind. This was a part of the forest which we weren't used to; there were many ditches and fallen trees at weird angles so I running quickly became out of question. I spotted a broken tree, it hadn't fallen yet but it had weird branches and a small hole, showing its hollowness.

"There!" I headed to the broken tree. If we crawled we could get under that and it would be a good hiding place.

"Nessie there's someone behind us" Andy whispered, his voice shook in fear. He followed me, almost slipping on a tree root.

"Careful!" I warned, almost losing my footing myself. I dropped to my hands and knees, crawling through the hole inside the hollow tree. As I wormed my way through I was bombarded with a horrible damp, rotting smell. Pinching my nose in distaste I made space for Andy to come crawling in. He was shaking, his hands and clothes covered in dirt.

"Nessie, where's mum an-?" he asked again, but I put my hand over his mouth, shaking my head quickly. I touched my temple and Andy nodded in understanding. We couldn't risk using our voices.

**Where are mum and dad?** He asked me through his thoughts quietly.

**I don't know...they shouldn't be far away though** I thought back. I placed my palm over my heart-fast with fear. I breathed in deeply, trying to calm my racing heart. It was too loud.

**Nessie! Someone's outside there.** Andy ran his small hand through his copper curls nervously. I bit my lip and tried to peek through a small hole in the rotting bark. Can tree bark even rot?

Pressing my face against the bark, I tried to scan the area around us, it was deathly quiet. Not even the birds were singing. Uneasiness spread through my body.

**Why did m-mum and d-dad leave us? **Andy continued to question me, I glared at him. **They did **_**not**_** leave us, not on purpose.** I moved a stray lock of hair away behind my ear. It was then I could hear my brother's loud, quick breaths.

**Andy, stop breathing so loud, it will hear you** I told him, hugging my knees to my chest.

**I wasn't doing that...** he thought so quietly I almost didn't hear him.

**What? **I frowned. I looked towards the hole in the tree again. A huge purple eye met mine.

And I screamed.

_So loud_

Everything seemed to happen quickly then.

"Move, _move_!" I yelled, pushing him out of the small hole we went in from. Andy was startled from my screaming but he quickly scrambled out of the tree with me behind him.

"Nessie what's going on?" he cried. I took his hand and sprinted away as fast as I could.

"Just run! Run!" I yelled, dodging the sharp branches and jumping over rocks. I could hear another person running after us, its growl vibrating under my feet.

Too soon, I felt myself falling forward, a heavy weight sending me and Andy spiralling onto the forest floor. A midnight black panther stared down at me, its bared teeth dangerously close to my face.

I whimpered, Andy screamed beside me.

Then it was gone.

Snapping and snarling was all I heard. I opened my eyes, wide with fear. I gasped in relief when I saw Auntie Amber fighting off the person. They were rolling and ferocious growls filled the area, Auntie Amber pinned the person down, her ginger hair falling around her face and her face was twisted into a feral snarl.

"Stop!" she growled. "My niece and nephew!" she shrieked and released the person. I could see them now. It was a man. He looked like he was around my dad's age with short midnight-black hair and all black clothes, contrasting to his honey-brown skin. The weirdest part was his eyes, they were a deep purple. It was almost hypnotic.

He looked at us, confused. "Niece and nephew?" he repeated Auntie Amber's words. His voice was deep with a slight French accent under layering it.

Amber huffed and walked over us to pick us up from the floor. She took us both in her arms and hugged us tightly.

"Oh Andrew, Renesmee, you must've been so scared all by yourself" she said softly. I clung to her, willing myself not to cry_. Don't be a baby, Nessie_. "It's Ok" she released us gently. Andy and I stayed behind her, listening to what they had to say.

"Kids, this is Laurent. He's my friend from years ago, before you were born. Don't worry, he won't hurt you" she said gently. I scowled at Laurent.

"He was hunting us" I told her, "He tried to _eat_ me"

Auntie Amber's eyes grew wide and turned to Laurent. "What on earth-"

Laurent put his hands up in a way which reminded me of 'cops and robbers'. I growled my baby growl and took a step back when he took one forward.

"Before you freak, Amber I...got into a little trouble and then I was chased by a pack of werewolf shifters. I was only curious about these two little ones; I didn't mean to scare them. I swear." He said then looked at Andy and me. "Sorry kids, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm a nomad; I tend to see everything as a threat to me." He smiled jokingly and I couldn't help but smile...a tiny bit.

Auntie Amber sighed. "You got yourself in a lot of trouble you know? You're coming with me mister, you've already got angry werewolves out for your blood and over-protective parents looking for their children. C'mon, let's get you poor souls cleaned up at the Cullens." She headed to the Cullens house in a run so we all ran along with her.

When we arrived everyone was outside already- aunt Alice must've told them we were coming. When Grandma Esme saw our clothes she gasped.

"What happened to you two?" she asked, holding us at arm's length when we tried to hug her. I pointed to Laurent who was standing next to Auntie Amber.

"Grandma Esme, Laurent tried to eat us" I said. I scowled at Uncle Em when he started laughing loudly at my statement. "Auntie Amber saved us, but we don't know where mum and dad are." I finished, my shoulders slumped.

"They left us" Andy mumbled. I glared at him as he moved his teary eyed gaze to his muddy trainers.

"They haven't _left us_!" I shrieked, stomping my foot on the ground and crossing my arms. "Stop _saying that!" _

"It's Ok Nessie" Aunt Alice said "They haven't left you; they're looking for you right now along with the Quileute wolf pack." She said. I think my eyebrows shot up a mile.

Aunt Rose and Grandma Esme took me upstairs to clean up and Uncle Em took Andy up to clean up, away from the '_girls_'. I rolled my eyes, I was just glad to get the dirt and grime out of my clothes and hair.

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><p><strong>*Time Jump*<strong>

I was lounging on the cream sofa with Andy eating jam sandwiches not long after my wash. We were watching _Beauty and the Beast_ on the TV. I was fully engrossed with the movie, nibbling on the bread absentmindedly as I watched, fascinated by the talking cups and plates. I was half aware of the adults talking in the room next to us.

I stretched my legs on the sofa, smirking when Andy complained about my feet touching him, feeling sleepy. I yawned, letting my eyes droop to the song the characters were currently singing along to.

I was half asleep when a cold hand touched my shoulder. I opened my eyes, yawning again. I blushed when I realized I just yawned in Aunt Alice's face. She didn't seem to notice, she smiled at me and Andy who had sat up curiously.

"Your parents are here."

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><p><strong>AN- What's gonna happen next? Send me your thoughts! I want to know what you think!**

**Reviews make me happy, and write faster. **

**Jam sandwiches are the best.**

**Any confusion that needs clearing up don't be scared to tell me ^^**

**Review**

**:D**


	13. The Wedge Between Death and Amber

**Sorry for the delay, but hopefully this was worth the wait! All grammar mistakes are mine...review at the end!**  
><strong>Disclaimer: Not mine, Stephanie Meyer is an inspiring author...I wouldn't be writing this if she wasn't. <strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

"_Your parents are here"_

***Edward***

_God damn it! No, no, no, no, no..._

I chanted repeatedly in my head. The forest floor was a blur as I rushed over it, fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins. The wolf pack was behind Bella and I, following the sound as we were.

We burst through the trees into the clearing, they weren't here.

_No!_

Pushing back my fear I sniffed the air, trying to place our children's scent. Bella walked to the edge of the clearing, touching the rough bark of a tree beside her. A sharp growl was released from my throat when I smelt another scent mixed up with our children's.

"Bella" I called, my voice strained. She was by my side in an instant, her chocolate brown eyes shimmering with tears. I brought my hand up to cup her cheek, pressing my forehead to hers.

"Did you smell that other scent?" she whispered, closing her eyes briefly before she opened them and gazed into mine. I gulped and nodded, refusing to let my emotions get the better of me, I breathed in a shaky breath.

The scent of the kids was strong here, but it was getting weaker. Small gusts of wind moved their scents through the clearing. Suddenly a weak trail caught my attention.

"They ran," I realized. I pulled away from Bella and pointed to the opposite side of the circular clearing. I glanced at Bella, nodding at the wolves who were watching us warily.

**We should probably phase to their wolf form so we can communicate better** I thought to Bella. She nodded and in a matter of seconds we were our huge wolf forms.

I quickly ran through what I was thinking and gave them the scent of the kids to follow.

_The nomad shifter may be following them_ I thought to them. _**They were smart enough to know they were being watched so they got a head start**_. I thought to Bella proudly.

_Ok, let's follow the scent before it gets away!_ Seth thought. I could feel his patience wavering by the second. I agreed, turning back and following the scent through the trees.

We followed the scent for a while. The sun was setting on the horizon making the whole forest go into an orange-induced haze.

_Edward!_ Bella thought, _Amber was here_. She thought, identifying the familiar scent that we smelt, her furry snout sniffing at the forest floor curiously.

_Amber?_ If my wolf form could frown I would be. _**Do you think she knows this shifter?**_ I asked Bella. As we walked the scents seemed to follow each other. We followed the scents, after a while I felt the distaste in the wolf pack's thoughts.

_Oh god_

_The leech stench is burning my nose!_

_Revolting!_

_Calm down!_ Sam's alpha voice penetrated through the pack. _Get a better control of yourself!_ He ordered briskly, though he was having trouble dealing with the smell as well. Sam now spoke directly to me.

_Edward, I believe the shifter went in the direction of the Cullens. The pack will wait close by just in case the shifter decides to flee. If they do not respect our tribe's wishes then we may have the permission to kill it._ Sam growled the last bit, his lips pulling over his teeth, showing the razor sharp death blades that only a massive wolf could bare. I nodded solemnly. Then we heard Bella snarl out.

_And if they had hurt our children they'll be as good as dead._ Her large brown eyes flashed dangerously, still walking beside me. I felt the same way; the shifter would be facing a very terrifying fate if they had hurt either one of our children.

Just as predicted, the trees broke out and the structure of the huge, gleaming white Manor stood proudly before us. The scent we'd been following rested here.

The wolves came to a halt at the trees, watching the house warily. Bella and I both shifted back to our human selves and went off at a sprint to the house.

I could hear the small talk inside the house, everyone was there, there was a voice which stood out from the rest of them, I knew Bella could hear it too, the voice was deep and slightly French accented.

"-and Amber found me with the two kids, I didn't mean to cause any harm-"

"_-And in all of the land Beauty and the prince had the most beautiful wedding-"_

"-Quite shaken up though, those damned werewolves still hunting me-"

"_-even invited the three sisters with their husbands, but that didn't matter because-"_

"- of retched beings! Never meant to hurt her, she was alone in the woods. Hardly knew-"

"_-lived happily ever after-The End." _

A themed song started after the little dialogue, confusing me. The male's voice was still talking but too quietly as I was too far away.

Bella and I were just approaching the porch when I heard Alice's chirpy voice speak, louder than the rest of the quiet muttering.

"Your parents are here"

I burst through the door, causing everyone in the room to turn and stare at me. I saw my two kids, sprawled on the white sofa. Their faces lit up in excitement and ran towards us. I scooped up Renesmee in my arms as she folded her short arms around my neck in a vice grip. If I were human I would be suffocating.

"Daddy!" she squealed. I felt a heavy weight lift off my shoulders as I looked at her, she was fine. Safe. Healthy. I looked to my right where Bella had Andrew in her arms, covering his face with kisses as he flushed a bright pink. I saw no injury, no wound, and no bruise covering him. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Daddy!" Renesmee patted my face, "Where did you go? You and mummy disappeared and then there was this huge shape shifter that was following us. Aunt Amber rescued us you know! The panther was going to eat me!"

I froze for a second, hearing the words come spilling from my daughter's mouth. I stood up, removing her death grip with difficulty.

"Where is Aunt Amber?" I asked calmly. Alice was standing by the side the whole time. She smiled grimly when I caught her gaze.

"Everyone's in the living room" Renesmee answered. Before she finished speaking I was already breezing towards the living room, conjuring up violent actions I would use on this man.

Before I could open the door Alice had somehow materialized in front of me. She raised her hand as if that small hand could stop a herd of angry bulls coming her way. Then again...

I opened my mouth to snap at her to get out of the way but she beat me to it.

"Edward, you need to calm down. You're jumping to conclusions and ripping that man apart is not the wise thing to do right now!" her voice was like ice and I was taken aback but quickly recovered.

Damn it, she saw.

"Alice, I won't hurt a hair on his head. I just want to know what's going on. The wolves are waiting just beyond those trees for a decision to be made" I informed them calmly. Knowing full well the vampires could hear me. I raised a brow at Alice and she huffed, stepping out of my way.

I pushed down all of my murderous thoughts and entered the living room. I faced Amber who was sitting down next to the shifter. She looked at me with a sheepish look on her face. I sat down at the table they were all occupying, beside Carlisle and Emmett. I knew if I lost my head they wouldn't let me kill him. Besides, the wolves wanted that part to themselves.

"Edward" Carlisle nodded, greeting me. "I believe you haven't met Laurent yet" he smiled, as though he was trying to dissolve the building tension within the middle of the room.

I growled lowly, sending the man looking at Amber nervously. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain shot up my leg and the threatening growl cut off abruptly. I sent Emmett a dark look who merely shrugged.

I realised that they were waiting for my answer. I shook my head stiffly.

"Never seen him before in my life" I said calmly, and then added as an afterthought. "Though, my kids had a rather terrifying encounter with him- right, _Laurent_?" I almost hissed. Laurent visibly cringed at the tone of my voice.

"Edward" Carlisle warned me quietly but I continued.

"Do you enjoy terrorizing young children Laurent?" I went on. "You gave mine quite a fright I bet. They'll probably have nightmares about you trying to kill them every night! Happy about that?" I seethed, leaning over the table.

"Edward he didn't mean it!" Amber was suddenly yelling, defending her old friend. "He was only curious, he didn't hurt them!"

"Oh! Curious!" I exploded, feeling a prickling sensation down my spine. "Merely _curious_ to hunt down my children like prey, _terrorize_ them out of _curiosity_! I bet you would've taken a bite out of them to see how they tasted! Out of curiosity!" My face flushed in anger. Seeing my old friend defending the man who could've hurt Nessie and Andrew brought on a wave of pain and resentment.

I took a deep breath, still leaning over the table. The painful prickling eased down slowly. I didn't want to look at Amber anymore, or anyone else, I cast my eyes to the table.

"You don't know...the feeling...so helpless, so scared-" I broke off there, not wanting to show my vulnerability in front of _Laurent_. I remembered the shrill scream, the growl. Wondering if I was too late, _we_ were too late. It was a thought I never wanted to be exposed to thinking again in my life.

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers. I tried to calm my breathing, wincing at the painful prickling sensation that ran like volts of dangerous electricity through my nerves.

Suddenly a delicate warm hand landed on my shoulder. The pain slowly eased into nothing and I let out a small sigh of relief. I didn't have to look up to see that it was Bella.

"Carlisle, the Quileute pack is waiting outside the house. They want to know what we're going to do with him." I felt her hand on my shoulder curling into a tight fist. "He injured a woman at the Reservation and the wolves want bloody murder. I'm sure you're aware of that." I removed my hands from my eyes and watched Carlisle intently.

He nodded in a resigned fashion, "We told Laurent about the Treaty and the rules so that won't happen again. We won't allow the wolves to kill him, it was a mistake, and now he knows."

"Was Tom a mistake?" I turned to Amber who glanced down at the table when my heated eyes turned to her. "Or did you just accidentally agree to kill the poor man out of cold blood?" I gritted my teeth.

Amber shook her head. She scrunched up her face like she was in pain. "Edward I told you why, we had no choice. He saw us change-we were trying to protect ourselves!" She turned her hopeful eyes up to Bella. "The wolves weren't mad were they? They'll still let him live?" Outside there was a sharp growl coming from the trees. I saw Laurent visibly flinch.

"If he agrees to follow the Treaty's rules then yes" She replied slowly. Amber's face lit up.

"Yes, yes of course. Laurent won't break the rules anymore" She smiled. Laurent looked like he might cry in relief; his whole body was slack, the tension that worked inside of him was released. Despite their happiness I still wanted to cause this guy physical pain and I was 98% sure that my Bella felt the same way.

"Thank you so much, I will never cross those wolves land again, you have my word." he looked around the table as he spoke. Esme, ever forgiving, hugged his shoulders gently.

"You are welcome to stay here with Amber if you like" She offered with a motherly smile "There are some spare rooms for you. I wouldn't want you to be without a place to stay" A bolt of panic shot through me. Laurent staying _here?_ Where our children visit daily? It was like a low hit to the belt; how could I tell them that they wouldn't be able to visit their family anymore? Laurent...no, I wouldn't allow it.

"Esme" my voice cracked, I cleared it and started again "Esme I can't let Nessie and Andrew visit this place if he's going to be staying here."

"No way" Rosalie spoke up, glaring daggers at Laurent. "I won't stop seeing my niece and nephew because of _him_." She spat. Even though they could always visit us I knew that it was a different situation when the kids are here. The big house changed dramatically when the kids were born; it filled the house with a new light and warmth. Everyone was smiled more and Jasper was constantly giddy from the twin's infectious innocence and happiness. Not seeing them here would definitely be saddening but I had no choice.

"Rosalie" Esme gave a hard look to the blonde who went back to admiring her nails. She turned to Laurent who looked torn.

"I don't want to cause a rift between..." he glanced at me quickly but Esme was having none of it.

"Nonsense, you will stay in the room opposite Amber's. Carlisle will speak to the wolves to tell them that you know of the Treaty and will never harm anyone again. Okay?" She gave no room for argument. Amber stood up from the table "I'll show you to your room Laurent" she led him out of the room and up the stairs. As soon they were out of sight the room became a flurry of activity. Jasper and Emmett went with Carlisle to talk to the wolves and Alice flitted past me, the kid's coats in her hand and Rosalie followed her with their shoes. Bella and I walked back into the room where Andrew and Renesmee were seated, their coats and shoes on, waiting for us.

My son jumped off the chair and took my hand tightly. "Daddy, are we going now?" he asked though it was so blind fully _obvious_. I would've laughed if the situation wasn't so dire.

"Yes, yes we're going"

After the usual goodbye hugs I led Andrew outside to the car. He gripped my hand tighter when we were walking in darkness which surprised me; he wasn't normally scared of the dark-he was as tough as his mother. I could guess what led to this fear.

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><p>In the car it was silent, only the quiet purr of the car and the low breathing of the passengers. In the car mirror I could see Andrew looking out of his window, his face unreadable. Beside him, Nessie was fighting to keep her eyes open; her head kept lolling to the side and she made a vain attempt of blinking her eyes constantly to rid the sleep.<p>

To my right my love was resting my hand on her cheek next to the window. She glanced at me and smiled. She moved her gaze to the book she had in her lap, stroking the cover absentmindedly.

"When do you think we can go back there?" She asked softly, turning her warm brown eyes to mine. I saw the deep sadness in her eyes and cursed Laurent for it. My hands tightened on the wheel and I tried to control my sudden anger. Bella was still staring at me. She turned her head sharply to the side, her eyes burning with hate.

"I don't _get_ Esme, I don't understand her ways! She _knows _how we feel about Laurent but she invites him to stay? Why...why...I don't _get it_!" she hissed, her hands were claws on the book on her lap. I recognized it as the recipe book her and Esme created during the holidays.

I took her hand in mine "I don't understand it either love," I admitted and she looked at me again. "Esme has a heart that can stretch to anyone; she has her ways and her reasons. We just got to go with it and trust her." I squeezed her hand. Bella glanced at our children at the back and looked back to me, her smile made my heart leap in my chest.

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><p>-<strong><em>Same time at Forks Police Station<em>**-

Chief Harvard was just finishing up in his office, ready for his reclining chair and a good pizza when a Sergeant burst through his door. He was startled but that quickly passed and his default hard 'chief' look fixed on his face.

"Heavens Weber you look like you've seen a ghost" He stood up at his desk, eyeing his Sergeant, slightly annoyed at the barging in without warning.

"Chief Harvard, I think you need to look at these" he held out a grey folder to him. "They're from the latest record of the cameras we got from the forest plus other pressing information." His hand was visibly shaking. Chief Harvard took the file from him, noting that there was fresh red ink stamped on the front saying 'Private'. He placed it on his desk, opening it.

Chief Harvard looked through the file, his face getting whiter every second. Sergeant Weber was sweating in his uniform, but it had nothing to do with the temperature.

"Chief Harvard?"

No response

"Chief?"

Chief Harvard slammed the folder closed, startling Sergeant Weber. The shaking man fidgeted as the Chief of police stared at the folder on his desk.

"Weber" The man jumped, wiping his sweaty hand on his leg. He looked up at the Chief.

"Who else knows about this?" Chief Harvard's gruff voice was hard and controlled. Sergeant Weber stuttered under his hard gaze.

"O-Only me and Lieutenant Newton Sir" he said. The Chief sighed in relief. He put the file in a drawer in his desk, locking it and dropping the key in his pocket.

"Go fetch Inspector Aliyah" The Chief said, "We've got a case on our hands."

When Sergeant Weber left the room Charlie Harvard looked down at his hands

They were shaking.

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><p><strong>AN: Gasp...I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP!**

**Reviews are love!**


	14. The Case Of the Species

**A/N: This is where the drama unfolds! I'm really proud of this chapter. Review at the end!**  
><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight and not in any weird universe I haven't heard of will I own it. SM you are a legend!<strong>  
><strong>Shout out to my sis Aliyah! I purposely changed the man's name to Harry *wink* Enjoy the Chapter!<strong>

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 13 Recap<strong>_

_"Go fetch Inspector Aliyah" The Chief said, "We've got a case on our hands."_

_When Sergeant Weber left the room Charlie Harvard looked down at his hands._

_They were shaking._

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**E.P.O.V**

I awoke to the sun blinding me from cracks in the curtains. I blinked slowly up at the ceiling, still drowsy from sleep. Bella's arm was draped over my chest, still deep in her slumber. Gently, I removed her arm, turned to get out of bed and looked straight into huge brown curious eyes with emerald gem-like specks around the iris twinkling.

I bolted up in the bed, hitting the small thing in the process. It gave a high squeal and there was a small thud when it fell off the bed. I sighed and got out of bed, yawning. The lion cub scrambled back onto its feet and walked clumsily in between my legs. When I pushed the offending cub away it snapped at my legs with its strong teeth. It didn't hurt but it wasn't welcome either.

"Andy" I chided him firmly. He looked up with his big eyes and blinked once. "My leg is not a chew toy son" I said. Andy gave a protesting mewl around his hard grip on my leg. With difficulty I managed to shake him off and retreat to the bathroom. When I came out my mate was perched on the edge of the bed with Andy in his lion cub form in her arms. She looked up at me when I came inside the room and smiled a smile which seemed to physically brighten the room.

"Morning"

I grinned back, leaning forward to capture her lips in mine.

"Morning"

"_Morning!_" Renesmee yelled at the top of her voice, down the hall. I chuckled and Andy wriggled out of his mother's arms and raced to the door, changing into his 6 year old self.

"Nessie!" he giggled when Renesmee came racing down the hall, she poked her head inside the room and looked at us three with a smile playing at her pink lips.

"Morning mummy!" she skipped across the room and hugged Bella then glided to me. She jumped in my arms and hugged me tightly around my neck. I pretended to choke and she pulled back in horror but I just chuckled and Renesmee's cheeks blushed a delicate pink. "Morning Daddy" she rolled her eyes and jumped off, racing to the door. She ruffled her brother's hair on the way out, screaming in delight when he started to chase her. The door slammed, announcing their exit and Bella slid off the bed and walked up to me, her warm arms enclosing around my waist.

"What time will you be back from work?" Her wide chocolate pools made me lose my train of thought for a moment, I kissed her gently. Her eyes flickered shut.

"Six, will you be able to survive that long?" I teased, stepping around Bella to fetch my work bag. I held in a chuckle when Bella, ever the actor, raised her hand to her head in a dramatic pose of despair.

"Oh! My dear man! How will I ever go on?" she swayed. I shook my head as I kissed her again, a smirk playing at her lips.

"I love you"

"Love you too"

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><p>"Now Miss Laura Norton, if you'd take these three times a day and take lots of rests then the aches will soon go. Try not to overexert yourself again next time." I handed my patient the pills and she blushed, her grey sharp eyes flitting down to the medicine. "Thank you Dr. Masen" and exited the room. I took off my gloves and headed out for my break.<p>

The hospital was quiet today, only a few emergencies coming and going. Carlisle was doing the night shift since it was a nice day today and he didn't want to risk it. Plus, how convenient are night shifts for vampires who never sleep? I chuckled to myself when I approached the coffee machine.

As I was making the coffee I had an uneasy feeling like I was being watched. I turned around but there were only visitors walking around with a bored look on their faces and patients waiting in chairs. Frowning, I took my coffee and started to my office. Still, as I was walking down the hall the uneasy feeling of being watched was hard to ignore and I spun around again, my heart hammering violently in my chest. No one was there. I wiped my brow with a slightly shaking hand and hurried to my office, locking myself in. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding then realized that in my rush the scolding hot coffee had spilt over my hand. I cursed vehemently, shaking my hand in pain and going over to the sink to run it under cold water.  
>As my hand slowly cooled down I let my thoughts drift. Why was I feeling so off today? Did Alice see something happen today? If she did then she would've called me this morning or last night even. I wonder-<br>Ring!  
>The shrill of my mobile made me jump in surprise. Recovering from my shock I dried my hand and put the phone to my ear.<p>

"Hello?"

"_Daddy?_" My son said. I straightened up in concern.

"Hey Andy, is everything OK?" I answered, pacing around the room.

"_Yep! Swell!"_ he replied a bit too loudly and I held the phone a space from my ear. "_Jus...Our bikes are broke and Mum don'ts know how to fix them_" he said. In the background I heard Bella huff. "_Let me talk to your Dad_" he heard and then a shuffle of a passing phone.

"_Edward?_" Bella said

"Hey love, is everything OK?" I asked through a tiny smirk that I was sure if Bella saw it she would give me hell.

She sighed "How _do you fix an off chain?_" she asked grudgingly. I was full on smirking now.

"Oh Bella, it's so, _so_ simple-"

"_Edward_" She growled.

"Sorry Love." I said as sincere as possible. I explained what she had to, twice, and she asked me a question just as I was ending the call.

"_Edward, is everything alright?_" She asked with concern in her voice. "_You sound kinda distracted, are you overworking yourself?_" She cooed the last playfully and I rolled my eyes.

"No, everything's fine...it's just..." I hesitated.

"_Just what?"_ I could imagine her tilting her head to the side, her brown eyes searching. My heart hammered.

"Uh...nothing, I'll see you at home?" I ran my hand through my hair. She was quiet on the other end and I thought she left but her she spoke again.

"_Alright, I love you_"

"I love you too"

I ended the call and leaned back on the wall for a minute; trying to even out my breathing and calm my unnecessary nerves. I opened my eyes and cursed for the second time that day when I saw my break ended 15 minutes ago.

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><p>The uneasy feeling didn't leave me when I returned home, not after I made a detour to the corner shop for the kids who called me when I was driving home demanding hot chocolate. Not even when I stepped through the door and two small beings mugged me of my shopping bag and ran off with it squealing. Or when my mate kissed me affectionately and relaxed me of my tense muscles, not even then.<p>

"Do you think it was wise buying them hot chocolate when they've already got over-dosages of hyperactive energy in them already?" Bella laughed at our children as they ran around the house, morphing into random animals. I chuckled and pulled Bella onto my lap, resting my head on her smooth shoulder.

"Every child needs hot chocolate Bella, it's only logical." I mumbled into her hair. Her scent was like sweet honey, grass and roses. My heart warmed when she laughed. I tried to hide my smile in her hair when she commented.

"Smart, Edward. Very smart"

I was going to make a remark when I heard footsteps walking up the pathway to our house. Just when I heard that I heard a loud crash and a shout.

"_Muum!_ Nessie bit my tail!"

"Liar!"

There was a knock at the door.

With the grace of a panther Bella leapt off me and hurried to our children. I knew she would keep them under control while I answered the door. I smoothed down my shirt and opened the front door.  
>In the doorway was a young woman with short black hair and piercing grey eyes. She had a deep red long top with short jeans and worn brown walking boots like the majority of Forks. She held a bag of countless containers that I feared was food.<p>

She smiled widely, showing all her teeth.

"Is this the Masen household?" She asked, peering past me into the hall. I had a sudden urge to slam the door in her face but I resisted. I nodded stiffly then remembered my manners. I held my hand out in greeting.

"I'm Edward Masen, and you are...?" I raised a brow. She shook my hand.

"Joanne Ciapree. My husband and I are new in town and we live pretty near so I thought-_hey! Let's go be friendly with our new neighbours_." She grinned and held up her bag of containers. "We made lasagne and lots cake for your family, I know, my mate's kids eat cake like water."

Puzzled, I tried to work out the analogy but then my brain caught up with her words. Startled, I looked up.

"How do you know we have children?" I enquired. She was waving up a man coming up the pathway from the small lime-green Mini. The man was quite tall but not as tall as me. He had messy, short mouse brown hair and was wearing a crumpled blue shirt, jeans and worn hiking boots. He had a look about him that looked strong and refined but he was nervous; he kept wiping his hand on his arm and his eyes were darting everywhere.

She turned to me and casually waved at my home. "You know; big house, decent family car, big outdoor space, you look like you've got the stress of kids on ya I'd say." She smirked and I blinked, speechless. Her sharp gray eyes turned to her husband who stood timidly beside her. "Dear God you took your time. Edward this is my husband Harry. Edward, Harry, Harry, Edward"

I shook his hand "Nice to meet you Sir." I said and Harry gave a small affirmative nod.

"Edward?" Bella poked her head into the hallway. I turned away from the door and mouthed _visitors_. She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. I turned back to Joanne and Harry.

"Well, come on in" I held the door out wide for them to walk through. "You can put that in the kitchen Mrs Ciapree" I told her. She waved her hand again. "Edward, please call me _Joanne_." I shut the front door and showed them into the kitchen. Joanne peered around my home in a manner that made me uneasy. I was confused by my reactions to things today. I pushed that thought to the side and focused on being a good host.

"This is my beautiful wife, Bella" I smiled at Joanne and Harry's shocked faces as they took in Bella's striking beauty. She shook both of their hands and gently took the carrier bag of food off Joanne and took out the containers of food.

"I'll put this in the fridge" said Bella. I suddenly found myself standing rather awkwardly amongst our guests. Bella broke through the awkward silence.

"So, Joanne where did you move from?" she enquired, leaning against the marble counter, her eyes friendly but guarded.

I looked at Joanne. She smiled at my wife.

"Houston" I felt my eyebrows rise and the question fell from my lips.

"Really? Why did you choose to move to Forks?"

Joanne laughed. "Good question, we just wanted a change of scene. Hal loves it here, don't you Hal?" She turned her eyes to her husband who nodded and mumbled something we couldn't hear. Annoyance flashed in Joanne's eyes but it was gone the second it appeared. "You don't look like you're from Forks, where did you come from?" she turned her pointed gaze to me and I shifted uncomfortably under her hard stare.

"We moved here from Italy," I said with some hesitation so I added "but we travelled a lot and now we finally settled here."

Joanne nodded slowly, and then she suddenly blurted out.

"Where's your bathroom?"

"I'll show you Joanne" Bella offered politely and led our guest out the hall but Joanne stopped.

"Just point it out to me and I can find my way back" I heard her say. I turned to focus on Harry. He looked like he was going to pass out. A loud thud from upstairs made him jump a feet. I hid my smile.

"Would you like a drink, Harry?" I asked, still staring at him. He lifted his eyes to look at me and nodded reluctantly. I didn't move from my place leaning on the counter.

"Water?" I pressed. Harry said something akin to a yes but I wasn't sure. But at the same time I was fed up trying to please this un-willing guest.

I filled a _plastic_ cup with _tap_ water and, smirking, slammed it beside him. He went pale in cold fear and his hands clenched together, shaking.

I went back to my place leaning against the marble work surface, gazing at this terrified man curiously. This was how Bella found us; Hopeless Harry sweating like he was about to go through an execution and me, cool as glass, staring at him somewhat impolitely.

**Edward!** Her angry mind voice intruded my head. **What did you do to the man? He looks like he saw a ghost!** She gave a concerned look at Harry.

"Harry, are you alright?" she touched his trembling arm and he flinched.

"Do you need help?" I offered bitingly "I'm a doctor." Bella whipped her head back to narrow her eyes at me.

"Do you need water?" she continued.

"I _gave_ him water." I said sharply. Bella shot a deadly look at me.

Harry shook his head and did a terrible excuse for a smile. Bella still thought the man had a mental problem but it was all just fear. Pure, unadulterated fear.

"Drink the water and you'll feel better Harry" I said, nodding to the cup of water beside him. I didn't know what was up with this man. He obviously didn't feel comfortable in this house and around us, it irked me and it obviously irked my mate; she looked cautiously at Harry, moving away slowly.

Harry looked at the water like it was poison.

"Oh Harry look at the state of you! Your nerves got the best of you again." Joanne appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. I realized she had taken a long time in the bathroom, how long had it been? 15 minutes?

She shook her head, taking Peter by his arm. "We ought to go, so sorry about him. He's not very good at socialising." They started to the door, Joanne's hand gripping Harry's elbow. I rushed to the door to open it for them. Joanne smiled thinly, her happy-go-lucky demeanour vanishing into this new person. Before I could mull over it they disappeared into their little Mini and drove off down the path.

I closed the door and walked back into the kitchen. Bella was leaning on the wall with her lips pursed thinly, deep in thought. I walked past her and felt her eyes on me as I opened the fridge door.

"Lasagne anyone?"

* * *

><p><strong>Third P.O.V<strong>

"You were terrible, absolutely _terrible_" The so-called _'Joanna'_ and her _'husband'_ sped down the lane from the Masen's household. Her _'husband'_ sighed, trying to control his shaking limbs.

"I didn't major in drama like you did. I didn't even want to do that, I was freaked out of my mind. I seriously thought that guy wanted to poison me-did you see the way he was _staring_ at me?" He held his head in his hands.

"You're a damn Sergeant. Excuse me if I thought you were any of a man beneath that flimsy uniform you parade about the police station with all day." She snapped. Sergeant Weber gritted his teeth. He really wanted to snap at the Inspector but he held his tongue. He felt ridiculous in his wig and he clawed it off his head and lent back in the passenger seat.

"Besides look what I picked up here and at the hospital" Inspector Aliyah patted her large satchel bag. The Sergeant glanced curiously at it and his eyes grew wide in shock.

"Burglary!"

"Oh hush Sergeant, it's not burglary." Inspector Aliyah rolled her eyes at her companion's incredulous face. "It's all legal, for police evidence." She said. Sergeant Weber gave a skeptical look at the woman and she sighed. "I'll give it back in time. This is serious stuff we're dealing with," her eyes twinkled dangerously at him. "Everything we know about the science of life is about to be challenged"

* * *

><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

At nine o' clock dinner was spent with a very animated discussion about hot chocolate. Of all the things to have a heated discussion about...

It was three against one and Bella stubbornly held her ground until all three pairs of puppy eyes were just too much for one person to handle and she finally caved.

"Fine!" Bella held her hands up in surrender "I shall kneel to your claims and opinions. I will no longer complain about you drinking hot chocolate." She sighed. Renesmee and Andrew cheered loudly, high-fiving each other.

I stood up and gathered everyone's plates up to put in the dishwasher. "How was the lasagna " I asked the two small children basking in their current victory. Andy looked up at me and shrugged indifferently.

"Fine I guess, look Daddy I ate all of it!" he showed me his almost clean plate and I took it proudly.

"Good boy, see Renesmee why didn't you eat all of your food like your brother?" I glanced at my daughter who pushed a lump of lasagna around her plate in disinterest. She let out a dramatic sigh.

"It was OK. But I don't like that lady who stole those things." She mumbled into her hand. Bella froze, giving our daughter a look that I was currently giving her.

"Joanne stole things? What-what did she steal?" she questioned Renesmee. I turned to Andy who was watching his sister curiously.

"Did you know about this too?" I gave him a hard look. He shook his head immediately, his curls flailing around his small face. Renesmee chewed her lip.

"He was in his room 'cause Mummy said not to come downstairs and I was in my room and I saw that lady walk past my room. An' I wanted to see what she was doing 'cause she looked like she was in a hurry. I turned to a mouse an' followed her around-it was fun!" she grinned but saw our sombre faces and went back to her little tale. "I was following and following then I saw her quickly take the present Grandma Esme gave us for Christmas and the small book of animals we got from that bookshop on holiday to...uh...Wales" she said and looked at us to see what an adult would do about this situation.

"I'm going to the police station" I announced and placed the stack of plates back on the table, fuming. Bella nodded, her lips pursed.

"They moved here recently so maybe Chief Harvard can find out where they live and arrest them." Bella clenched her fist angrily "I knew there was something off about them." She looked up, took my face in her hands and kissed me soundly on the lips. "Go, maybe you can track their scent from here?" she suggested but I shook my head.

"It would be long gone by now, plus they took the car so I'll just go to the police station and report them."

I headed to the door, grabbing my coat and car keys.

"Mummy, are we going to the police?" Renesmee chirped.

"Absolutely not" my love said firmly. "_You_ are staying _here_ and taking a _bath_ then going to your _bed_." That was all I heard when I sped off to the Police station.

* * *

><p>I entered the station, nodding to officers who were getting ready to leave. I took the door straight to Chief Harvard's office, letting myself in.<p>

Sitting behind Chief Harvard's desk was a young lady with a thick black fringe with a curly ponytail. She turned her head in surprise, her piercing gray eyes seemed familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. Her uniform was impeccable and it was something she obviously took very, very seriously. She got up from the desk and swept out of the room.

I closed the door behind me and Chief Harvard looked up nervously from his seat. He stood up and smiled at me.

"Ah, Dr. Masen, what can I do for you?" he stepped in front of his desk to me. A weird instinctual feeling rose in my chest but I squashed it down.

"Sorry to bother you Chief but my house was burgled today by two people who moved here recently from Houston. I was hoping you knew these people so they can be arrested immediately. I won't put my children in danger." I said. Chief Harvard nodded solemnly but his hands were slightly shaking.

"Sure Dr. Masen I'll get the lists of newcomers so we'll know who burgled your house. Stay there." He turned his back to me to his black drawers of confidential files and rifled through them. I felt like I was invading confidential private files and asked if I should step outside but Chief Harvard immediately said I should _'just stay put'_.

I waited patiently and it was a minute until Chief Harvard turned back to me with a green folder. "You been in the forest recently Dr. Masen?" he asked randomly. I furrowed my brow.

"Uh...yes Sir with my family on a little outing." I replied, my mind still reeling with the shock of the burglary.

He held up an object. My heart felt like it had leapt out of my throat. All thoughts of burglary stopped dead in their tracks and I could only fathom what the _Chief_ of _Forks_ had in his hand.

"You've seen any weird happenings in the forest Dr. Masen?" he continued in his hard voice. My whole body was frozen. When he saw I wasn't going to respond he went on, his voice low and gravelly.

"You can't hide from us now Edward. You can't kill any more of my men or my people of this town. You think you're so smart your family can sneak around my town with your little friendly smiles and murder my people under my nose?" Chief Harvard sneered, his eyes blazing and his blood rushing under his skin. My throat was dry and my heart was beating wildly in my chest. This wasn't real. This _isn't_ real. This is _not_ _real._

"Char-Charlie, _please_ give that to me" was all I could say right now. The small ornament in the Chief's hand was a gift from Esme, made in the highlands of China. The small strong sculpture was of a lion's head, a man's chest, a buffalo's hind legs and the wings of an eagle. The Shape Shifter.

And the Chief of Police had it in his hands.

"Stay right there Edward, you're not human. You're a-a-a mutant being! A sick murderer now back away from me and put your hands where I can see them!" He now held a pistol, cocked and ready.

I raised my hands above my head slowly. Chief Harvard looked really worked up; his hands were sweating and shaking uncontrollably.

"Charlie I never killed anyone from this town. I swear it on my life." My voice cracked and I tried to reason with him but there was no reasoning with a human who had an experience beyond their comprehension. I held out my hand slowly.

"Charlie, please hand me that ornament" I said clear and loud. He didn't move, and the gun didn't stray from my chest.

"Chief, please don't freak out. We can talk through this-"

"_Talk? _I don't want to talk with you mutants! Now keep your hands in the air Masen!" he ordered, loud and with an unmistakeable authority. I growled in warning, glaring at the Chief. The sound startled him and he looked around the room wildly. I took this distraction and leapt towards the Chief. I snatched the ornament from him and turned to exit the room when the door flung open and the lady who was in here before held a gun at me.

I snarled but it was cut short as a loud gun-shot resounded through the room and a searing pain sliced through me. I turned to Chief Harvard whose gun was smoking slightly from the shot.

Another loud gunshot followed by another blinding pain made me stumble back in surprise. I looked up at the woman in shock. I reached up and touched where the bullet went, my fingers were coated in blood. A stinging sensation shot down my spine and I cried out, falling to my knees. The stinging coursed through every nerve in my body and I writhed in pain on the floor. I felt my body shifting painfully. My whole body felt heavy and unusually cold. The gasps of the people around me made me aware that my body was shifting constantly, trying to find a form that helped my two bullet wounds. My vision began to get blurry and I tried to curse the two people but it came out gurgled and strange.

Piercing gray stared down at me, wonder and cold calculation gazing at me.

My last thoughts were filled with pure hatred for those eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh<strong>

**My**

**God.**

**xD**

** All is not lost! Please don't hate me!**

**C'mon Edward you're a Shape Shifter you can't die! :(**

**Review!**


	15. Action-Reaction

**A/N Hey Readers! Sorry for the delay but hopefully this can make up for it.  
>Anyone notice the lengthening of words in each chapter? It's a good sign!<br>I had to stop myself from making this one too long because I was getting into it too much. Next chapter should be soon!  
>Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Twilight...just a reminder.<strong>

**Here's Chapter 15!**

* * *

><p><strong>B.P.O.V<strong>

It wasn't long after Edward had gone to the Police. I was upstairs in Renesmee's room reading one of Aesop's Fables to Renesmee and Andrew who felt like listening to it in their tiger cub forms. Renesmee's room had a fluffy cream carpet with pale blue walls, numerous bright paintings she composed hanging up and pink shelves consisting mainly of book collections of 'My Secret Unicorn', Aesop's fables and random big and small books of animal species.

Her soft bed was situated in the corner near the window with the frilly pink curtains. Lapina, her toy rabbit with hands and feet, was nestled comfortably in the bed amongst several plump pillows. The small table next to the bed had a small night light and a dainty alarm clock.

Around the room there were old fashioned wooden things like a rocking horse and a large rocking chair with a pretty lime cushion on the seat I remember sitting down with her when she was only a year old, rocking her to sleep. She had a doll's house and a big red box of random little toys and trinkets she didn't think worthy enough to make it onto her shelves. Her built-in wardrobe was large and took up half of the wall but you could never notice it because there were plump bean bag chairs in random places in the room.  
>With the comfy décor it looked stunningly out of place with two wild tiger cubs in the middle of it.<p>

"_'My friend the lion is in trouble,' _cried the mouse. He ran as fast as he could in the direction of the lion's roar, and soon found the lion trapped in the hunter's snare. '_Hold still, Your Majesty,' _squeaked the mouse._ 'I'll have you out of there in a jiffy!' _And without further delay, the mouse began nibbling through the ropes with his sharp little teeth. Very soon the lion was free.

_'I did not believe that you could be of use to me, little mouse, but today you saved my life.'_ said the lion humbly.  
><em>'It was my turn to help you, Sire,'<em> answered the mouse. Even the weak and small may be of help to those much mightier than themselves, the end." I closed the book and laid it on the floor where I was sitting.

Two tiger cubs sat obediently side by side. They were no bigger than a medium-sized dog. Their large intelligent eyes blinked slowly. Andy mewled softly and stretched. Nessie phased back into her normal self and yawned.

"Mummy,-_yawn_- why couldn't the mouse just run away?" she asked sleepily. I smiled at her fondly.

"Because the lion didn't kill the mouse when he could have; he let it go. He saved the mouse's life."

"But mum," exclaimed Andy, in his normal form. "He's a lion, why couldn't he just eat the mouse?" I opened my mouth but Nessie replied.

"Because mice are too cute to be eaten _and_ lions don't eat tiny mice-they eat gazelles and elephants right mum?" she grinned toothily at me. I nodded and scooped the two up in my arms.

"Correct, and mummies eat…tiny children!" I growled, squeezing them to my chest playfully. They screamed and squealed.

"Nooo!" they struggled fitfully but my arms were like iron against their tiny fleshy arms. I carried them to Nessie's bed and dropped her onto it. She screamed and scrambled under her covers, an attempt at hiding from me but was ruined immensely from her continuous giggling. I still had Andy, laughing gleefully, and I carried him to his own room. He squealed, screaming for his sister.

"Andy she's got you!" Nessie shouted from her room. I laughed, growling in mock hunger.

"Mmm Andy, you smell _delicious_!"

"Aah! No I taste desgusteng!" He giggled, wriggling in my arms. I dropped him in his bed and he crawled under his covers. I plopped on the chair beside his bed and sighed contentedly, closing my eyes.

Almost immediately I felt something poke my arm. I turned my head to see my son, cheeks flushed and hair wild burrowing back under his covers, giggling.

I rolled my eyes "Alright, fun time over, mummy won't eat you no more." I ruffled the lump under the covers and Andy squealed. He popped his head out from the covers, resting his head on his shark patterned pillow. He yawned adorably and got himself comfortable. I leaned over to kiss him on his forehead.

"Goodnight baby"

"Night mummy"

I turned on his green night light and turned off his main light on the way out of his room.

Renesmee was sitting upright in her bed when I came in. She shrieked in surprise and threw her duvet over her head. I chuckled, patting her pillow.

"Fun over Nessie, bed-time sweetheart" I said gently. My daughter sighed in resignation and crawled back to the top of her bed, clutching Lapina close to her chest. Her long bronze hair was tucked up safely in a bun so it wouldn't be messy in the morning. I kissed her forehead and, after her persistent pleading, kissed Lapina's as well.

Nessie smiled contently, snuggling into her bed.

"Night mummy"

"Sweet dreams sweetheart" I switched the light off and went to my bedroom.

Just as my hand touched the door handle the door bell rang. In only my pajamas I quickly descended the stairs and opened the door.

"Oh Edward have yo-" I blinked. The cold night air breezed in and I shivered slightly. "A-Alice? What are you doing here?" I took in my small vampire sister. Her eyes were wide and her hair slightly messed, probably from running so fast. Seeing Alice in such a state at my front door at night wasn't going to be good news I summarized. _When isn't it?_ I thought cryptically.

"Bella, you have to come right now." Her voice sounded strained. My hand tightened on the front door and Alice suddenly whizzed past me swiftly with a grey duffel bag in her hand. "Get all of your important possessions; we haven't got much time to waste." I turned to Alice.

"Alice, why do I have to pack all of my important belongings? Has something bad happened?" my head hurt from the sudden activity. I studied her face closely. "It was Laurent wasn't it?" I hissed in anger. "I knew we couldn't trust him, he was-"

"No Bella, it's a lot of things. But right now the police are coming and we need to get you out of here." Her tiny form whizzed around me and threw in more personalised objects from the house. My eyebrows lifted a metre.

"The police?" Why would the police be coming here? Maybe it had something to do with the burglary...yes that must be it. I relaxed, sighing in relief. Alice must've had a vision of the police coming here but didn't know why. Sometimes her visions only have one side of something and then she gets the whole picture wrong.

"Alice it's fine; they're coming because of the burglary" I assured her. "Edward went to the police station just a half hour ago, he wasn't arrested." Alice didn't look like she was listening so I gripped her top arms tightly.

"Alice it's Ok-"

"No Bella! What I saw was _not_ OK. Somehow the Chief of police found out about...about _your kind_, he's got Edward under lock and key and now they're coming for you. You have to pack your belongings and get out of here because in approximately _180 seconds_ the whole police squad is going to break down this front door. Do you have everything you need?"  
>I was vaguely aware of my mouth moving but no sound came out; I was trying to comprehend her words. The police found out about us, the <em>police<em>. I couldn't think reasonably, I..._the police found out? How?_

"_Bella!_" Alice shook me and I focused on her wild face. I could only imagine what my own face looked like. "Do you have everything you need?" she repeated. I blinked and nodded numbly but then I gasped.

"No, I need to get the _Life_ book." I tore away from her grasp and sprinted to the living room. The _Life_ book was nestled snugly in the bookcase amongst over random old classics I liked to read. I took it and put it in the grey duffel bag Alice held out for me. She then disappeared up the stairs and came down a couple of seconds later with an armful of clothes. She saw my face and rolled her eyes, stuffing the neatly folded clothes into the small bag.

"I couldn't let my niece and nephew go without clothes Bella, it was logical thinking." Alice chirped in her soprano voice. I looked down at myself, realizing I was only in my pyjamas and worn slippers.

"I need to change." I said, sprinting up the stairs to Edward and I's room. I turned back to tell Alice to wake up Andrew and Renesmee but she was already speeding towards their rooms.

"Be quick!" She called and disappeared into Andrew's room.

And I was quick. In fact, I think it must've been the fastest outfit change I've ever done.

* * *

><p>"So remind me why we are running in the forest in the dead of the night?" I asked breathily. Trees whipped past me and the dark night cast a looming black blanket over everything. But despite the dark I could see very well. My body was supposed to adapt to these kinds of things after all...even the sounds. I can never get tired of hearing every single miniscule noise from a bug, bird and breath. The forest was like an old friend opening their arms to you- a safe cocoon of green, lush and soil.<p>

My admiration of the forest was only a passing thought because at the moment I had just left my home in time to hear the banging and yelling of police. Andrew was in my arms, clinging to my neck tightly as I twisted through the forest to the Cullen House with Alice who had Renesmee on her back.

Alice huffed, "Bella I told you, cars are less effective and so much more conspicuous and we are trying to be _inconspicuous_. Every other possibility didn't work out as great as this one," She touched her temple "trust me."

I nodded. In the distance the Cullen's house came into view.

_Here goes everything._

* * *

><p><strong>E.P.O.V<strong>

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw were white walls. Pure, sterilised hospital walls. I tried to sit up but I felt a tugging sensation on my arm. Looking to my right there was a IV drip linking to my arm and with further inspection I found few unnecessary bandages where my should've-been gun-shot wounds were. With my free hand I peeled off the bandage; my body heals very quickly so the wounds would be nothing but a small, fainting pink line. I threw the unwrapped bandages to the floor and tried to swing my legs off the bed but a hard weight pushed me back onto the bed.

"Oh no you don't." it grumbled. I snarled menacingly at the bulky security guard. He had a square face with a bushy moustache covering his mouth which was currently turned down in a permanent frown. Even with his intimidating appearance his eyes widened in fear when the animalistic noise vibrated around the room.

"I think I will" I growled. I tried to sit up again but I realized my feet were chained to the bed. I blinked, looked at the white ceiling. I reached out with my ears to assess what was around me; I could hear people muttering in rushed conversations far away, vending machines buzzing from work down the hall from here. And I could tell it was a hall because I could hear echoing footsteps just out the room, fast and nervous-impatient. At that I narrowed my eyes at the security guard who returned the glare with one of his own. "Bring Chief Harvard. I'm sure he's waiting to talk to me."

The guard tightened his hand on a gun he had shoved down his trouser pockets and nodded stiffly. Not turning his head away from me he said something into the communicator he had in his other pocket. When he was finished he gave me a hard stare and I returned that stare just as menacingly.

"Don't you try anything dodgy, mutant" he grumbled but I could hear his pounding heart and it was a major contradiction to his unbothered attitude. Smirking, I looked up at the bright spotlights on the ceiling. Concentrating hard, I focused on the energy from the light. It was like a life source, a pulsing heart shining outward brightly, curling into my hand.

I crushed it.

And the room plunged into darkness.

It wasn't much of a difference to me, I could see as well in the light in the dark and I could see the guard looking around nervously. My brain worked to see how well I could frighten the living daylight out of this stoic, middle-aged man.

It was just too easy.

Let's just say that when Chief Harvard entered the room that huge, intimidating security guard was rushing out of the pitch black room screaming, impressively, at the top of his lungs in terror. My laughter carried over his screams as he bolted for his dear life. I grabbed my ribs in hard amusement, tears stinging my eyes.

"Dr. Masen!" Chief Harvard looked confused. The light's heart was still in my hand and I was still crushing it.

"Don't bother with the light Charlie" I told him. He couldn't see me in the darkness and kept flicking the switch but to no avail. There was a light still peeking out from the open door and I imagined it slamming shut...

"Good Jesus!" Chief Harvard jumped a feet from the sudden slam. He tried to open it but it was locked hard. "What did you do to the door Masen!" he yelled.

"Just leave it Charlie it's not going to open anytime soon. Sit down so we can talk, and please try to restrain from shooting me again, that'd be much appreciated." I said calmly. Chief Harvard looked in the direction of the sound of my voice. He fumbled in his pocket and drew out a flashlight. He let out a sigh of relief when he flashed the concentrated ray of light that proved just how blind humans are into my eyes. I squinted at the flash light.

"Charlie, could you not shine the light into my eyes?" I said irritably. The Chief muttered something and moved the offending object away from my eyes. I cleared my throat and gave a pointed look at the Head of Police.

"So why am I here chained to a bed Charlie?" I asked in an exasperated voice. "Like I'm a sadistic killer, I'm not the one going around shooting my own people!"

That struck a nerve. His face went crimson red and he clenched his fists in anger.

"You're _not_ my people! I don't even know what you are you...you-" he stopped, his voice shaking in barely controlled anger. I sat back in my hospital bed and studied his face closely.

"Animal? Mutant? Alien? Monster?" I offered in my best suave voice. I cocked my head to the side in curiosity at the flash of emotion behind the Chief's eyes. "In all seriousness Charlie- as I can't even _call_ you Chief because I have absolutely _zero_ respect for you and your little antics right now- did you suspect something like this would happen? In your cosy little town you knew that something was going on, something you couldn't explain." I waited, watching the expressions flash on the Chief's face.

He blew out a shaky breath and turned away from me.

"I'd always suspected..." He started in his gravelly voice. "I never knew for sure but I'd have this gut feeling sometimes when I'd be walking the town that there were...things going on that was never happening outside of Forks." He furrowed his eyebrows and I just listened patiently. "When the-the death rates increased, only a bit, I had a strange feeling...it felt like paranormal activity was happening around the town but I never acted on it. Especially around the forest I'd get a chill...and now I find those pictures..." he shivered and couldn't look me in the eye. I frowned.

"So why shoot me and cuff me like I'm a criminal? How is that anyway acceptable..."I shook my head and started again. "Look Charlie, I'm just a normal...well I _was_ a normal person before...well, in this town I never killed any of your people. And I...I know you're scared but right now we have to help each other. You can't just act on rash judgement and kill everything in sight." I knew just how irrational humans get when it comes to things beyond their knowledge. Panic, kill _then_ think.

The Chief of police shifted uncomfortably. "How can I trust you? After...Major Lionel running out of this room like the devil himself was coming after him. What can I think after that Masen?" he grilled me. I waved my hand in disinterest.

"I was bored and having a little fun. _Charlie!_ I didn't hurt him, I didn't even touch him- it was all in his head" I grinned but the situation was getting hard to stay so optimistic. I was never good at it anyway. I sighed. "Charlie, you have to keep my kind a secret. This isn't a matter which you can use guns and handcuffs with. I'm currently putting my whole species in danger and if anyone else finds out there's going to be danger seeping into this town like this annoying IV is seeping into me. Can I get a doctor to check my injuries _Chief_?" my fingers tightened in my fist and I released my fist. The lights switched back on. Charlie started, blinking rapidly to get used to the bright light. He took a moment to think through my words and he cleared his throat.

"Yes um...there aren't many police doctors on my team-" I shook my head impatiently.

"No, get Doctor Cullen." I read his face closely. There was some confusion when he replied back.

"Why do you want Doctor Cullen?" he narrowed his eyes. "Dr. Cullen's a good man. I don't want you near him; he's done nothing but good for this town." He said with a strong authority. I struggled to keep my face unreadable. _If only he knew_.

"I won't do anything to him Charlie I'll be as normal as a human. Just tell him he needs to treat the horribly injured Edward Masen immediately. I feel faint and-and cold..._get Dr. Cullen!_" I rasped and made a very believing ill cough.

Chief Harvard jumped from his spot and rushed from the room. He flipped out his talkie and ordered for Carlisle. I looked around the room and spotted a well hidden camera in the corner of the ceiling. It was pointing right at me and I narrowed my eyes at it. _Such great security they have here_. I thought sarcastically. Just enough for me to walk right out of that door without anyone knowing for a full...minute, at least.

Before I could continue my musing Carlisle came walking into the room, his medical bag in his pale hands. He looked genuinely curious to see me here but not shocked. _Alice must've called him_I reasoned. For our audience he faked a believable shocked reaction at seeing me tied to the hospital bed. He dropped his medical bag b the side and rushed to my side.

"Dr. Masen! What has happened to you?" He cried with distress clear in his voice. If I didn't know better I would've believed him.

I glanced at Chief Harvard before replying in my ill voice "I don't know... a hit and run..." I said weakly "I got gun-shot wounds...here and..._Ow_, there as well" I touched the supposed bullet wounds with a faked pain. All what was there was healed skin but Carlisle needed to know about my little plan.

He snapped on his gloves and gingerly touched the healed skin. I winced for Charlie's sake.

"That looks nasty" Carlisle said, loud enough for the hovering Chief beside the door. Carlisle then whispered low for my ears only. "Alice said you were in trouble, they know don't they?" he was prodding at the 'wound' and taking notes on a folder he had with him. I nodded for both.

"Yeah, it is, and I feel terrible. I think I ripped my bandages as well" I added.

As Carlisle took to work on patching me up again I threw an arm over my face to hide from lip-readers that will probably look back on the video footage again tonight. "I need to get out of here. The police have the sculpture of the _Shifter_ and some important files and pictures that I don't feel comfortable with them having. The file is red and looks very top secret" I peeked a look at Carlisle. He was listening intently but still working. "I don't know where they put the sculpture but there are limited places for them to hide it efficiently in this town." I frowned. Maybe Alice can look into it.

"Anything else you need to inform me of?" Carlisle asked quietly. He was cutting the loose end of the bandage and was nearly finished. I turned my head to the side suddenly.

"Is...Is Bella and-" I stopped my hushed whisper when Carlisle nodded.

"They're safe son" he assured me. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding until now.

"Could you tell Bella that our guests work for the police; I've seen the lady, she was in disguise." I whispered. "Don't accept any new faces from now on Carlisle." I warned him then cried out loudly so the silence wasn't being suspicious.

"We're not safe anymore!" I shook my head. "Enemies at every corner, I don't even know who our enemies are anymore Doctor...I thought I was safe then...I get shot-twice!" The message was there and with Carlisle's advanced brain I didn't have to worry about it being lost on him. He straightened up with a terse smile.

"Don't worry about it Dr. Masen. Your wounds are not very severe but you should stay at the hospital for another week to recover fully." He tucked his folder under his arm and turned to Charlie who looked very tense.  
>"I think it would be better if Dr. Masen is moved to a more comfortable room so he can rest better" he said to the Chief who immediately looked uncomfortable at the mention of me changing rooms. I agreed with Carlisle; the interrogation room definitely didn't provoke any pleasant feelings. I felt like a prisoner...again.<p>

"Uh, of course I will do my best to ensure that Dr. Cullen" he spoke in his gruff voice. Carlisle nodded.

"I'm afraid I must take my leave now but I will come to check up on Dr. Masen tomorrow" He said in his calm manner and left the room quietly. I sighed and looked at the Chief's disgruntled face.

"Do you wish to interrogate me more or are we done for the night?" I asked calmly despite the words and raised a brow in question.

The Chief glowered at me "Don't go anywhere Masen" he ordered and slammed the door shut on his way out. I turned to look up at the camera again. I opened my hand to lay palms up on the bed and continued to stare at the camera that was staring at me. I felt its energy...the tingle, electricity, structure...everything was alive and building up in my hand. I closed my fist slowly and watched in satisfaction as the camera crushed in on itself...like paper.

Chances of anyone knowing that I left the room...

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><p><strong>AN: ;)**

**Reviews are inspiration! **


	16. The Last Resort

**Okay here it is. I really wanted to get this chapter posted MUCH earlier but due to certain circumstances I don't have Microsoft Office and so I was kinda handicapped on updating/editing but I found this super great cool app that I could write on it. 'Zen Writer' Thank you forgotten source! And so, school is starting soon so I guess just enjoy these and more to come! Bear with me here guys! **  
><strong><br>Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight!**

**Chapter 16: The Last Resort**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's P.O.V<strong>

I closed the door on Edward and Chief Harvard quietly and went back to my office to pack up my things and finish my shift. I was hesitant to leave Edward in danger, chained like a wild animal, exposed to the humans in the first time in centuries. A cold ball of fury spiked in my stomach and it became harder to keep my face calm and unemotional as I walked to my office. There were a lot of police officers around, more than usual, and some turned to stare at me as I came out of the cold interrogation room my 'son' was in.

"Dr. Cullen?" a timid voice called my name so I turned back expectedly. A young woman with short blonde hair and a purple cashmere top with a knee-length jean skirt was standing nervously near the out-dated coffee machine that was strikingly familiar from a few decades ago. She blushed and stammered as she fumbled with some loose papers.  
>"Uh...I...I'm supposed to be your new assistant?" She held a stack of folders in her hand. With everything swirling and silently going to hell I almost completely forgot that my old assistant left for maternity leave and I was supposed to have a new assistant coming in today. I smiled warmly and shook her hand.<p>

"Dr. Hugen! Oh yes I knew you'd be coming today." She flinched minutely at my cold hand and I felt her heart jump and slowly start to race. I smiled apologetically and withdrew my hand. "Sorry, I was just outside-would you like to set up your things in the office?" I offered and was slightly amused when she blushed red again.

"I already did Dr. Cullen. I was just looking for you to introduce myself." Dr. Hugen smiled. I nodded.

"Yes, well excuse me Dr. Hugen I was just finishing my shift. Do you know your way around?" I asked and Dr. Hugen nodded.

"Yeah, some of the staff gave me a quick tour when I arrived. I...uh, goodbye Dr. Cullen!" She turned around and scampered off in the direction of the café. I continued to my office and filed away my unnecessary patient information (because I could remember everything 200+ years ago, in great detail) and turned to leave the hospital.  
><em>Don't worry Edward. We'll sort this out.<em>

Shape shifters were in danger-they were exposed (God knows _how_). Who knows until the Volturi find out? They had spies everywhere. I was shocked at how easy it was for the humans to find out about their kind. An uneasy feeling was settling in my stomach, twisting.  
><em>How long until they find out about vampires?<em>

A nagging feeling behind me made me turn as I was walking fast as inconspicuously possible to the jet black Mercedes. I turned and felt a surge of surprise and...something else I couldn't name but it flashed up like acid as I saw Dr. Hugen's strangely blank face staring out of one of the hospital windows at me. She blinked and smiled nervously, moving away from the window. I got into the car and started it to drive home. It was when I was speeding down the road when I realized what that other emotion that crawled up and gripped my throat when I saw her at the window was...fear.

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><p><strong>(At the House)<strong>

The air was tense, suffocating in the dead silence. Every face was drawn in conflict, shock and despair...despair at what this could mean to everyone. The unspoken question was like a bright, purple elephant in the room. 'How could this had happened?'  
>It was Bella who broke the silence, her form, curled up on the sofa with her brown hair tied back behind her. She assessed the two other Shape shifters in the room; Amber and Laurent. Their faces tight with worry. She saw the angst in Amber's eyes and the cold disbelieving look in Laurent's. She still didn't trust the man, which was why both Renesmee and Andrew were sitting with her, Bella's strong arms holding them close to her side tightly.<p>

"We have to leave" she announced. Making 8 pairs of eyes turn her way. Her eyes flitted up to Alice, who was sitting at Edward's piano, in a silent plea.

"Alice, what can you see from this?"

Alice shook her head slowly, her eyes casting down onto the cream carpet. "I cant seem to see anything further than an hour, sometime's it's less. I don't know what's wrong with me but it's so frustrating that I can't..." she trailed off miserably and Esme held one of her hands tightly.

Emmett was amazingly silent for the majority of the meeting. His face was cold and passive but inside he was struggling to hold onto the raging desire to destroy a couple hundred miles of forest and punch a just-as-wide hole with his fists. He just wanted to let out his frustration. His brother lay in the custody of the police. If the situation wasn't so dire then he would've snorted at the thought of his super fast, super strong, witty, shape-shifter brother with weak metal cuffs around his wrists. Like..._come on_. _Edward._

But they knew. _How they hell did they find out?_ Aro was dead. The Volturi would still be licking their wounds so...what gave it away?

"Ever since them two came, it's been one mess to the other." he grumbled at Amber and Laurent, his deep voice loud in the room. Amber shot him a dark look, but then it faltered when Emmett's dark gaze locked on hers.

"I never thought I'd put you in danger" she said sadly. Staring at Bella who only shook her head. "I would've stayed away if I knew." her eyes swept over Renesmee and Andrew's sleeping forms.

"But you didn't know Laurent was looking for you. You don't have to apologize for anything." Bella reasoned. Rosalie, who was standing rigidly beside the chair spoke up.

"Well, the damage is done. Edward is locked up, they want to come after Bella but the humans aren't getting them. I don't know why we're acting so afraid of stupid little humans. We're vampires!" she growled.

"Because," Carlisle said, and it was the first time he spoke since he told them of the situation. "When the humans know something they're not supposed to the Volturi will latch onto it. It is the law, is it not? Never expose ourselves to Humans. Bella, I'm guessing that the Shifters also have that law as well?" Bella nodded.

"So what do we do to make sure this doesn't leak out of Forks?" Rosalie asked Carlisle who was tapping his fingers on his arm.

"We reason."

"With the humans?"

"Yes"

"Carlisle" Jasper sighed from across the room. "It won't be that easy"

Carlisle's hand slowly closed into a fist. "They have to. We can make a truce. Humans like to be in control. If we give them that truce to sign they know they won't have anything to fear."

"They won't forget about Tom." Alice said, mournfully. "They would want someone to blame" she eyed the Red-headed woman who was avoiding everyone's sudden gaze.

"Thomas was a good man" Carlisle responded "Amber acted out on survival instincts. She was exposed."

"But I killed him anyway didn't I? He's dead and I killed him" Amber's voice faltered.

"They don't know that. They probably think Edward killed him." Rosalie clenched her hands but remained still.

Suddenly Emmett jumped up, golden eyes hard and muscles trembling and booming. "Let's just go bust Edward out of there! We're no use sitting around like this! Jas-"

"No Emmett!" Esme's stern eyes flashing "You can't just barge straight into the police station. We're thinking of ways to do this. Subtle ways. Let's not go too far and be overly conspicuous." She looked at Carlisle who was trying to hide his amusement expertly. "I think that a Truce is a great idea. We should drive down to the station in the morning. Bella and Emmett can go in and we can be waiting around if something happens."

Bella chewed her lip thoughtfully. "But Esme, they don't think that the Cullens are involved. Won't it look strange if I go in with Emmett and talk about a truce? They only suspect Edward and I...they haven't seen Amber or Laurent at all." She shook her head and felt a wave of disappointment. "If they suspect you then we're definitely going to a hole that'd be hard to dig out of." She said bitterly.

"The Cullens are innocent." Carlisle agreed. "Charlie seemed fine with me checking Edward's wounds. He seemed to think that Edward would've corrupted me. He doesn't suspect anything abnormal. We're in the clear." _For now_ the words floated around the room, daring anyone to voice it. They didn't need to.

"I'll go in alone" Bella suggested from the sofa. "It's not like they're the Volturi. I can defend myself against some police officers. Easy" she looked at their faces. Only seeing Jasper and Emmett's faces with some sort of support for her suggestion.

Alice whipped her head up at that moment, a dazed look in her eyes. "A police officer will knock the door in 3 minutes."

Bella felt a cold flush of panic erupt in her chest and she scooped up the two children and ran quickly up the stairs. She lay them both down on the guest bed and crept silently downstairs again. The room was a flurry of action and she slid down the wall to sit on the stairs, watching.

"-they want Alice?"

"-on't think they're dangerous-"

"-ow long?"

"-two minutes, it's not very clea-

"-hould we leave?"

"one and a half now-"

"-no go upstairs-Bella!"

Bella looked up to Amber and Laurent standing near the stairs where she was. She immediately tensed when she noticed Laurent but she didn't do anything rash.  
>Because she didn't fully space out in the minute and a half of action she sprang up and beckoned them to follow her up the stairs to the guest room far from where Andy and Renesmee were resting.<p>

"We should probably stay up here until they leave" Bella stood near the door. Her primal instinct was to show the intruder why he shouldn't mess with her family, her children. There was nothing more she wanted to do than snarl at him so ferociously that he would be a submissive, quivering, insignificant mess on the floor. She smiled grimly at the image.

"Bella?" Amber brought her back to the present. She was resting her hand on the arch of the white door that Laurent had disappeared into, wise. Amber smiled when she saw Bella's eyes focus on her. She wouldn't comment on the murderous gleam that was in there just a moment ago.

"We're going to call it a night, give us a heads up when something happens?" She raised a brow and Bella nodded, her eyes flickering to the door briefly.

"Okay" She smiled and turned away from the door as Amber shut it.

Bella sneaked over to the top of the stairs, getting a clear view of the front door but staying hidden so she wouldn't be seen. She saw Carlisle walk to the front door and open it. Thanks to her acute hearing she could hear every shuffle, breath and pulse of blood from the uniformed person standing in the doorway.

"Good evening Dr. Cullen I'm PC Mc. Kinney, I'm a police officer. This is just a small precaution about some dangerous animals roaming the town and every civilian should be in their houses by 6:30pm."

"Dangerous animals? Are you sure Mc. Kinney?" Carlisle sported just the right amount of fear and disbelief. Esme came up behind him, Bella could imagine her face, a perfect picture of a worried human wife.

"Oh no, that means I can't get the groceries tonight." She looked at Carlisle with her hand on her heart. "Do you know what the animal is?"

"No Ma'am but the police are regaining control of the situation. We're doing the best we can, but please stay in your house until the threat is dealt with." he spoke clearly, rehearsed and calm. We probably weren't his first house.

"Well, thank you officer" Carlisle smiled gratefully and closed the door softly.

I heard the steps of the officer going down the steps and into his police car.

It was silent for a whi-

"Were we just given a curfew!" Emmett's voice boomed incredulously. Rosalie looked mildly disgusted.

"And placed under house arrest. Theoretically speaking." she said, looking out of the window.

"They were probably looking for Bella" Esme looked at me with concern but I stayed at the top of the stairs, and relaying what the police officer said.  
><em>Dangerous animals roaming the town<em>. Roaming the town? A light bulb moment occurred and Bella smirked knowingly.

"Edward probably got out" her smirk widened. "I was wondering why he was taking so long."

"They wanted the whole town indoors so they could find him and arrest him again." Carlisle nodded, a relieved smile on his face.

"So I guess we're scrapping the Truce idea then?" Emmett landed in the sofa with a dramatic sigh. Jasper smirked.

"Well, if Edward pisses the police off any more than he has then I don't think they'll be very considerate." Jasper responded.

"What? The police loves me" Came a frightenly familiar deep voice from the back of the kitchen. Edward stood, tall and lean, leaning on the door frame casually like he's been there the whole time.

He grinned his lopsided smile at Bella's shocked face and braced himself when Bella came jumping into his arms in a bone crushing hug.

"You took long enough" Bella muttered into his shirt. She could imagine Edward's smug grin on his face as he replied.

"I think I overstayed my visit. The accommodation was terrible though." the words slid off his tongue like silk. The tenor voice washed over Bella's ear and she sighed into the material of her husband's shirt. Edward ran his fingers through her hair and he released a grateful sigh of relief.  
><em><br>She's safe. They're safe_ he assured himself.

"Oh my god!" Esme was suddenly hugging Edward in her mother-bear tight grip. With any other human, their bones would have been crushed to dust.

She took his hand and pulled him onto the couch. The rest of the Cullens sat down with expectant eyes.

"Now, you better explain young man." Her golden eyes seemed to pin Edward down to the chair. He pulled a stack of papers from his jacket, they were creased a lot but he couldn't keep them preserved while running on a limited time.

Bella was staring at him curiously, sitting a cushion away from him.

"I got these from the police station. I'm guessing it was what started our exposure..." he threw it on the yew wood coffee table. The stack of images and files spread out at the impact and it was clear to see. Bella stared at them with a strange, detached feeling. Rosalie sighed and looked away from the tables. Emmett had a dark look on his face and he wanted to destroy stuff again.

_So this was what gave it away_

It was a series of pictures from the forest, obviously from a hunt Bella and Edward did a few days ago. It was Edward, as clear as day, trekking through the forest. The next pictures got his transformation perfectly; the strange, unworldly morphing of his face, body, all changing into the animal Forks never had in the darkest parts of the woods. The next ones were of Bella, in her human form but covered in blood with a kill of a bull elk in her hands. They got her transformation as well.

Edward ran a hand over his face.

"They kept it under wraps pretty good," he said. "Only two or three people at the police station knew. Charlie was pretty shaken up about it though. I tried to reason but he didn't listen. He thinks I'm a murderer."

_"Stay right there Edward, you're not human. You're a-a-a mutant being! A sick murderer now back away from me and put your hands where I can see them!"_

"If we'd only been more careful! We didn't even give the cameras much thought. Maybe the Quileutes did something about it but we didn't have much friendly contact for a while. We've thought of making a truce with the humans, the chief of police, but I don't know where to start. _'Dear Chief Harvard, we can turn into animals but could you do us a favour and shut up about it and leave us alone in the process...?'_ I don't see it happening." Bella shook her head.

"Maybe they need time" Alice offered quietly.

_Time, time for what?_ Edward thought bitterly, _To call another search party to shoot them on sight?_ He didn't like waiting; it was risky, too dangerous.  
>And he doubted they would want to talk to them anyway.<p>

_"_Talk?_ I don't want to talk with you mutants! Now keep your hands in the air Masen!"_

"We have to leave" Bella said hollowly, looking at everyone. "We'll go away, somewhere they'll won't guess. We'll go back to Europe if we must." She turned her eager eyes to me, her voice raising. A torn Edward took her hands tightly and shook his head. It hurt to look into her agonized eyes. But they couldn't run away. What would it solve?

"We can't, Bella" His voice was low and it faltered a bit but he pressed on. "What will running away solve? They know a secret and if we leave things will just get worse"

"Like a fire" Carlisle added, causing everyone to turn to look at him. "First the spark is ignited, if left alone it will just get bigger and spread and the damages would not be unrepairable." he said solemnly.

When secrets spill, the consequences can be massive, like acid with no way of stopping it or slowing it down.

Edward could still remember the sound, the look in Chief Harvard's eyes as he pulled the trigger. Unforgivable. Cold. He fought back a shudder and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He didn't know how...what to do.

"What do we do?" Esme said, strained.

"We disappear" Amber declared, coming down the stairs with Laurent in tow. "Hello Edward" she greeted him.

"Amber" he replied. "What do you mean, disappear? You know we can't run away"

Amber shook her head and sat on a spare chair, Laurent simply stayed near the wall.

"We can change. Humans care a lot about appearances. If we change our appearance then it will seem like you have disappeared." She explained, tapping her fingers on her jean leg.

"No one has seen you two so you don't have to change your looks" Rosalie pointed out.

"No, we don't" Amber agreed. "But we can be a part of your new identities" At our blank faces she huffed and sat up straighter. "_Think!_ We all change ourselves, move into a house here in Forks like a new family coming to town. They won't suspect anything if we make it as real as possible." She looked at Bella and I. "We should all be together, Laurent can be Edward's brother, Bella and Edward can be married, Nessie and Andrew can still be their kids an-"

"-you can be our family dog, Amber" Laurent smirked from the wall. His eyes flickered over to where Edward was sitting and he felt a slight unease at the thought of sharing the company of who hates his guts. But Edward didn't give him any murderous looks (unlike his wife) so he mentally crossed his fingers that all what be well and they would forgive him.

Amber gave a questioning look at them.

"I like the idea" Bella finally said, looking at Edward who nodded in agreement.

"Okay, we can do that." he smiled, catching Laurent's eye he saw the wariness in the other man and made a mental note to have a talk with him.

Bella took a deep breath. Changing identities. No longer Bella Masen. She was excited at this new turn. She looked at everyone's hopeful faces and just prayed that this would work.

_This was going to be interesting._

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><p><strong>AN: ****Yes it will... **

**Tell me what you think, Reviews are love! **


	17. Going To Be Alright

**A/N: I'm on a role people! Can I just say, thank you people who are still reading this. I utterly embarrassed myself by looking at my first couple chapters and I AM SORRY AT HOW CRAPPY THEY ARE I will work on that. I will edit. I promise. I can stay up tonight cause my school is on fire No school Monday! Yay! Anyhoo. Enjoy Chapter 17!**

**Oh yes. I almost forgot. If anyone noticed I kinda made a slip up on my OC Amber. If ya'll observant you might've noticed that in the first story (TSS) she had **_'long silky black hair that was in plaits at her back'_** and in this story (NS) she is ginger. Please don't ask. I messed up. But I can explain. She had to change her looks! Haha. Yes I am tired and talking to myself at 2 in the morning. **

**So...this is the transition! See you at the end!**

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><p>Chapter 17: Going to be Alright<p>

**Recap:**

_"Okay, we can do that." he smiled, catching Laurent's eye he saw the wariness in the other man and made a mental note to have a talk with him._

_Bella took a deep breath. Changing identities. No longer Bella Masen. She was excited at this new turn. She looked at everyone's hopeful faces and just prayed that this would work._

_This was going to be interesting._

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><p>It was definitely awkward.<p>

Different...to say the least, tying to adapt to our new predicament. The kids were definitely more excited about it than anyone else.

"Mummy look at me!" Renesmee skipped into the Cullen living room in the morning. She skipped up to the couch where I was sitting and spun around to show off her new look.

I widened my eyes dramatically and clutched my chest and my daughter giggled at my reaction.

"Who is that girl? She doesn't look like my little girl!" I gasped in mock horror and Nessie jumped onto the chair beside me with another giggle. Big _blue_ eyes staring at me, twinkling.

"Don't I look different momma?" She asked, dimples stretching with her smile. I gathered her in my arms, smiling.

"Much different"

And she did. Her usual bronze-coloured ringlets were now a jet black, cut so it only reached past her shoulders. It was tamer and Alice had put it into ponytails (I could tell it was Alice from the scent that clung on to Nessie like perfume). Her unique eye colour of brown and speckled green were now a bright sky blue. She looked _very_ different. But to anyone else, not so different to me.

I was too raven-haired with blue-green eyes, my hair that used to be down my back was cut shorter and in one plait. To tip it off Rosalie had planted a pair of dark red glasses on my face. She had stepped back to assess her handiwork and nodded once in satisfaction.

"You look hot" she commented then pushed me down the stairs to wait for the others. Using some shifting I made my face noticeably rounder; just hair and eye colour wasn't enough to successfully convince people. Humans weren't stupid, despite the claims shooting around the house every hour or so. But that wasn't the point.

My appearance was such a drastic change that I actually jumped when I saw my reflection in one of the many floor-to-ceiling mirrors. I was staring at myself for a good couple of minutes; it had been a while since I shifted to change my appearance and the shock of it never got old.

Bringing me back from my musing Nessie tapped the rim of my glasses, making me scrunch up my nose at the ticklish feeling. Why did glasses have to be _ticklish_?

The sound of footsteps coming closer made Nessie and I look up just in time to see Edward and Andrew walk in, Andrew one step behind him. He wasn't that much different from Nessie except that his curly black hair ended at his chin and his eyes were sea blue-green like mine.  
>Edward looked like something out of a James Bond film. His normally crazy bronze hair was now slightly tamer and black, he even had some facial hair but his jaw was still sharp and defined. His deep sea blue eyes stood out but what was massively different was the air he gave off (and no, not <em>that<em> type of air). His posture was different, undignified, not like my Edward. I frowned slightly but that quickly smoothed out when my husband graced me with his familiar crooked grin and my son bounded to me with a wide smile.

"Mum! You got glasses!" he gaped at my face and I rolled my eyes and smirked at Andy, ruffling his mess of curls fondly, ignoring his automatic complaint. "Mum! You're messing up my hair!" he raised his short arms to push my hand but to no avail. I laughed, watching Edward come over to us.

"And since when did you suddenly care about your hair getting messy?" I challenged, quirking a brow. In response my son just blushed (_bless_), mumbled something incoherent and then jumped away and scampered to the kitchen, not before petting his sister on the head just to annoy her.

I heard his cheery _"Morning Grandma Esme!"_ and Esme's reply. Edward took the seat which Renesmee had jumped off and ran to greet Esme as well. He wrapped his arms around my waist and dug his head in the crook of my neck. I could feel his warm breath fan against my skin. My hands ran through his black hair absently and I was just enjoying the contact for a few more seconds.

"It's all going to be alright, you know" he mumbled against my skin. I sighed and let my hands fall as Edward brought his head up and stared at me intently with his sea-blue eyes.

"Are you sure?" I bit my lip nervously and played with my wedding ring absently. Edward flashed his signature grin and kissed me swiftly on the lips.

"Positive. Now come ooon, it's time for breakfast _Isabella_." he dragged me up from the chair and I couldn't help but smile after him because, come on, Edward's smiles are _contagious_.

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><p><strong>3rd person<strong>

"Garnchichi?"

"Ganchini"

"Garhchini?"

_Sigh_

"Ganchini"

"But it says Gan_ceeni_"

"Yes...but it's pronounced Gan_chi_ni"

"Is it English Dad?"

"What? No, it's Italian. You know what you learnt about languages; you got to pronounce the word the way it is in the language."

"...Huh?"

Edward fought the urge to not slam his head on the table, _repeatedly_. Around the breakfast table was everyone except the Cullens; they left Forks to go hunting. Everyone was enjoying the fruity pancakes Esme had left for them. Renesmee and Andrew ate theirs like no tomorrow, syrup dripping down their chins while the 4 adults were less sloppy with their food. Edward was reminding Andrew of their new surname 'Gancini' and because of their appearances looking like an Italian-American heritage it was simple that their surname was something akin to Italian. Renesmee knew it already but her twin brother just wasn't getting it.

"Gan-chi-ni" Amber smiled at the puzzled boy. Andrew furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, looking strikingly like his father.

"Gan-chee-nee"

"Yeah that's it!" Edward exclaimed and Andrew beamed happily. Laurent's lips quirked in amusement. Because of his new role of Edward's brother his facial structure was slightly altered to match Edward's. His black hair was curlier and longer than Edward's and he had more facial hair that was sculptured from his moustache down to a shaped goatee. His eyes were a dark blue and his skin was tanner than the rest of them. He avoided Bella's eyes and ate his syrup-coated pancakes silently.

"Gancheenee, Gancheenee Gancheenee!" Andy sang happily at his success. His sister snorted into her food and rolled her eyes at him.

"What about your names?" Bella questioned. They had all decided on their names last night and it was drilled into their heads. The two younger ones were slightly more difficult to condition their new identity with so they had to be reminded constantly. The whole plan would easily go down the drain if one of them slipped accidentally.

"Evelyn Rosetta Gancini" Renesmee announced proudly, grinning toothily at her parents. Andy pursed his lips and he looked deep in thought. He glanced up at his sister suddenly and his face lit up.

"Oh yeah! Nicholas Gancini" he smiled and Renesmee smirked knowingly. Amber raised her brow but didn't say anything.

"Buuut I just call Andy Nico, right mamma?" Renesmee half-asked Bella who was adjusting her glasses. Bella nodded in response.

"And I call her Eva" Andy added, mouth full with pancake.

Edward zeroed on his son and said firmly;

"And remember what me and your mum told you? Absolutely no-"

"-no phasing to animals where humans can see us" Andy mumbled.

The situation was dire, they knew that. But they were young, less experienced with the concept of controlling their phases. But they were offspring of two shape shifters, that made them pure breeds. They were phasing from the age of 1 so the adults just hoped that they had the control to keep their appearances and not totally forget their predicament when playing about.

"Auntie Amber?" Renesmee spoke up, Amber tilted her head to the side, her ginger hair tied up to a low bun.

"Yes, Eva?"

Renesmee blushed at the reminder but she chewed her lip at the question. "Who are you gonna be?"

" A German Longhaired Pointer"

"...Huh?"

Laurent snorted, gaining the young girl's attention. "Amber is going to be the family dog, of course" he smirked and ignored Amber's glare in his direction.

"Can you show us Aunt Amber? Pleeeease! Pretty pleeease _withcherriesontop_!" Nessie and Andrew fell into their adorable puppy-dog-faces, staring owlishly at Amber who rolled her eyes. _These kids are cruel_ she thought to herself.

She felt the familiar sensation of her skin rippling, tingling and opening her eyes she saw that everyone was noticeably taller.

The chocolate brown dog sitting on Amber's chair barked and jumped off the chair as the two kids ran over to her and petted her curly hair affectionately.

"Cool!" Andrew laughed and giggled when Amber-the-dog licked his cheek.

"So pretty" Renesmee cooed, stroking the chocolate brown fur and touching the floppy ears that flattened and a low growl emitted from the canine when Edward commented from the table.

"All you need now is a collar and leash, Amber" he chuckled. Laurent laughed.

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><p>Moving into the town was a smooth process. The house was already bought and with their newly bought Vauxhall Zafira Tourer* Edward drove until Forks with the moving van following them. The furniture was all bought, thanks to Alice, Rosalie and Esme, and ready for the moving crew in some house that the Cullens 'owned'. The slightly worn <strong>'Welcome to Forks' <strong>sign whizzed passed them and seeing it brought memories to Bella and Edward.

_'The sign was like a beacon of hope, success. It was like they reached the finish line, from all the way in Italy here they were. Even in the rain and grey, stormy clouds they couldn't stop smiling. Bella sagged against Edward in relief. Safe. The worn, physically and mentally drained couple looked at each other and nodded, the silent question answered. It was going to be alright'_

And here they were. Edward glanced at Bella's blank face as she stared at the window at the passing trees and shops. It definitely felt odd, moving back into the town where they'd lived for years now. He took her hand that was resting on her lap and offered a smile. Bella squeezed his hand and returned the smile.

In the car mirror Edward saw Renesmee and Andrew pointing excitedly out the window, giggling loudly, playing some game they probably made up. At the two back seats Laurent was staring out the window, the chocolate brown and white dog sitting on the chair that was lined with blankets was lying on his lap, sleeping?- he didn't know. Laurent caught his eye in the mirror and his lips quirked in an almost smile. Edward nodded his head curtly, looking back onto the road.

"Everyone alright back there!" Edward called, looking up at the mirror. Laurent was looking out the window again. There as a chorus of _'Yeah!_'s and one bark. Bella's smile grew as she looked back out the window. A few people were staring at the moving van and the new car they haven't seen around town before.

_'Guess this is where we start being familiar with everyone'_ she thought.

* * *

><p>After they moved in with their furniture the moving people were gone and they were greeted by two friendly folks who lived 'just around the corner'. So, after accepting a container of cookies and cakes (that Nessie and Andrew practically <em>drooled<em> over) they were all out, doing the last transitions of their move.

Bella, Amber, Nessie and Andrew walked to '_TrueValue_' to buy Amber's collar, leash and all the supplies for a dog so any outsiders could see that yes, the dog is real. Not a shape shifter.

Leaving Amber waiting outside the shop Nessie and Andrew took off running inside. Sighing Bella adjusted her glasses and looked through the dog supplies. She reached out to the other shape shifter outside as she looked through the numerous brands of dog food.

_**Hey Amber, which do you prefer; Organic beef diet, turkey, Chicken or...**_ Bella paused as she looked at the other choices. _**...you know what. I'll get all of them.**_ Bella grabbed lots of the tube-like frozen foods by '_Pawnaturaw_' She heard Amber scoff in her head. _**Glad to be of assistance. Is it organic?**_ her voice sounded curious. With a basket full of the _Pawnaturaw_ products Bella moved to find her missing children.

_**100% Amber, I got the dry food as well**_ she replied and turning down one aisle she spotted her two trouble makers running up to her with their hands full of collars and leashes that trailed on the floor as they ran towards Bella.

Andrew held up the bundle of tangled leashes. Most of them were green, blue and there was a strange one that had black and red stripes. Renesmee had more collars than leashes; they ranged from deep purple to bright orange. They were babbling on about the colours and material and Bella inspected them carefully.

"Are there two collars and leashes that match?" she asked them and the two kids fumbled for a minute.

"Found two mama!" Andy shrieked, loudly. Bella blushed a deep red when a family close by looked at them curiously. Eventually they bought the supplies and exited the shop. Amber barked at them happily when she saw them exit. She sniffed the bags Bella had in her hands.

_**Food pour moi?**_ she sniffed and wagged her tail as they walked from the shop. Bella just smirked and handed a smaller bag to Renesmee who was petting Amber fondly.

Renesmee took the collar and leash from the plastic bag and knelt in front of Amber. The chocolate brown and white-patched dog was still as Renesmee clasped the collar on. It was a deep burgundy with amber-coloured jewels decorating it and the leash was the same burgundy colour.

"Pretty" Andy commented, stroking Amber's soft hair. "Mama can I walk her, pleeeease!" he pleaded and held his hands out for the leash his sister had clasped in her hand.

"No" Renesmee snapped at her brother but Bella butted in.

"Well, he did ask" she gave her pouting daughter a look that made her give up the fight and handed the leash to her grinning brother.

"Yay!"

* * *

><p>"So, this sister of yours..."<p>

"Alice" Edward replied, stuffing his hands into his dark grey coat. He glanced at Laurent, wrapped up in a jet black coat and a thin red scarf. His eyes were following his feet as he walked and Edward simply waited for the man to speak.

"Just how often does she visit this _J. Jenks_?" he asked, his dark blue eyes glinting with amusement. In their satchel bags Alice gave them a ton of papers for them to be able to keep an eye on the police activities, up close and personal.

Edward smirked as they walked in the direction of the police station. "Enough to ensure us with passports, car licenses, bank details, accounts, all that stuff." he grinned as he thought of her mischievous husband. "It's Jasper that does the up-close and personal meetings with him. He scares the living daylights out of that man"

Laurent's lips quirked up at the thought.

"And so we walk into the police station, give them this" he patted his satchel "and they will accept us? Just like that?" he frowned slightly at how easy it all sounded. He was even more surprised when Edward replied simply;

"Just like that."

At Laurent's sceptical face (which was more emotion than the man let out normally) Edward went into more detail. "With Alice, you don't question what she does. She has connections to people, sources that I don't even _want_ to think about because Alice-induced migraines are a pain." Laurent snorted at that "Somehow she got our names down on the list of ex-police so we can go to any city or town and pick up a job as part of the police just like that" Edward shrugged, seeing the police station come into view.  
>Laurent nodded slowly. He was surprised at how resourceful those vampires were. <em>Well<em>, he thought, _they don't age so those stuff are a necessity_.

The two men entered the building and was directed to a desk where a woman was sitting with a couple of phones scattered around her. On the billboard behind her were dozens of pinned up papers. One that caught Edward's eye were bold black words on white;

**DANGEROUS ANIMALS IN FORKS**

**IF SEEN PLEASE CALL 911**

Beside him Laurent shifted uncomfortably. Reaching into his satchel he pulled out the folder Alice had shoved into his hands before they left for hunting.

_"Just say your name, they'll know" Alice winked then skipped down the stairs to retrieve Jasper to hunt._

"My name's Anthony Gancini-"

The woman behind the desk almost jumped out of her chair. "Oh! Yes, Anthony and Rafael Gancini. We had a call saying you'll be here. Welcome to Forks" she smiled brightly. She took the folder Edward and Laurent handed to her and put them in a draw. "You can come to get started on Monday" she smiled. Laurent returned the smile politely and raised a brow at Edward who was staring at the billboard blankly.

Edward nodded absently and made a turn to leave the police station. Laurent followed his gaze until he too exited. Another notice on the billboard was a realistic drawing of Edward and Bella, above it saying;

**HAVE YOU SEEN THESE PEOPLE?**

**IF SEEN PLEASE CALL 911**

* * *

><p>After they put Amber's frozen meat in the freezer they went out again to show their faces around town. The youngsters were tired of walking Amber (that did <em>not<em> need a leash, thank you very much) so they started playing a game they made up on the spot on the sidewalk.

"Come on guys!" Bella called at the kids that stopped walking for the 4th time. She rolled her eyes at what they were planning on doing. Amber turned her head to see them suddenly propel forward, running quickly towards Bella with their arms outstretched as they shrieked with plane noises.

"Weeee!" they squealed and stopped short of their mother, giggling loudly.

Amber barked at them and Bella just rolled her eyes at their antics. Holding Amber's leash in one hand Bella adjusted her glasses, again.

"People are staring so please stop screaming _Nico_" Bella gave a firm look at Andrew who found sudden interest in his brown sandals. "and you too, _Eva_" she looked at Renesmee who pouted adorably. During their little walk they passed a shop called _'JT's Sweet Stuff'_. The aroma of homemade fudge and candy poured from the shop and into the air around it. Renesmee sniffed the air dreamily and Andrew immediately pulled on his mother's jacket.

"Mum can we go to JT's?" he begged, puppy-dog eyes staring up at Bella desperately. "Pretty pleeease Mamma, Perleeease?"

Bella pursed her lips "We need to buy you some clothes first" she tried not to look into her children's eyes, that was always the trick.

"I don't need clothes"

"I'm not having a _Mogli_ running around the house Nico"

"JT's!" he exclaimed loudly, executing a sigh from his mother.

"Not now"

_"JT's!"_ they chanted determinedly. "JT's! JT's! JT's!"

Even Amber joined in, barking strangely.

"Okay!" Bella caved, laughing. Their cheer of success drowned out her long-suffering sigh. "Go on in then" they scampered into the shop and Bella loosely tied Amber to a small post beside the shop and followed them into the shop.

Inside the shop were sweets, flavoured fudge and candy lining shelves and counters in the middle of the shop. Bella laughed at Nessie and Andrew's faces as they looked around the shop in complete and utter awe. It didn't take long for them to redeem themselves and they bounced off in different directions. Behind the counter was an old Caribbean woman, her black hair highlighted with grey and she wore a knitted dark blue jumper. Her brown eyes twinkled as she smiled warmly at Bella.

"Hello dear" the skin around her mouth wrinkled in from age but her smile made her face suddenly 10 years younger.

"Hello, are you JT?"

The woman smiled again but shook her head in response to the question. "No. My name's Sharon. JT, Jennifer Talbot was my mother." the woman explained.

Bella nodded "I'm Maria Gancini, my family just moved here today. You have a beautiful shop, it's classic" Bella looked at the vintage sweets and fudge, feeling like she was back in the 60's.

"The shop hasn't changed from all those years ago, the fudge is still amazing." She chuckled and looked curiously at Bella. "Do you need help finding everything?" she asked.

Bella shook her head quickly "No, I was just waiting for m-"

A loud shout captured their attention and Nessie and Andrew came racing to the counter, their hands filled with packaged fudge and other colourful sweets. They unceremoniously dumped the sweets on the counter and looked up at their displeased mother.

"Why the shouting?" Bella demanded as she eyed the stack of sweets uneasily.

"N-_Eva_ pushed me" Andrew mumbled and Renesmee looked scandalized.

"Wha-No! Mamma he-"

_"Behave!"_ Bella hissed and took out her purse. Andrew nudged his sister with his elbow.

_"Beehive!"_ he stage-whispered and Sharon looked noticeably amused.

They paid for the goods and exited the shop, Bella looking decidedly drained. Amber jumped up when she saw them but didn't say anything at Bella's expression. When they walked home Amber looked back at Bella, her big brown eyes assessing her before asking;

_**Should I ask?**_

Bella glanced down at Amber, her lips twitched.

_**No**_

* * *

><p>From the police station Edward and Laurent stopped at a small park, sitting on one of the wooden benches. They sat there, enjoying the cool Forks air and gathering their thoughts from the last couple of days.<p>

Edward glanced at Laurent and frowned at how the man seemed to avoid looking in his direction, eyes cast down and looking like he wanted to draw into himself. Edward opened his mouth, then closed it, rethinking what he was going to say.

"I don't hate you"

Laurent didn't reply straight away. He kept his eyes down but his hands fidgeted in his coat pockets. He looked up at the grey clouds and sighed quietly.

"You have every right to"

"I know"

Finally Laurent looked at him. His eyes piercing as he gave him the _'then-why-don't-you?'_ look. Edward looked straight ahead, feeling Laurent's eyes on him.

"I've come to realize that holding grudges is not healthy. Marcus," he said the name bitterly "Aro, Rosalie, heck even_ Amber_-" Laurent looked defensive at that but didn't interrupt "-I've realized that all what it's doing is weighing me down. I thought _'why should I waste my energy on hate?'_ When I have so much more things in my life that are so much more valuable. Things that I'd like to spend my time with for as long as possible. Things are hard now and I can't hate forever..." Edward glanced at Laurent and pursed his lips "I did hate you" he admitted, "You were practically going to _eat my kids_-"

"-I was _not_ going to eat them!" Laurent defended himself, looking scandalized "I was running on half instinct and wasn't in the right state of mind and those annoying _wolves_ were chasing me. You know how it is...everyt-"

"-Everything is a threat," Edward said calmly. "Even though I don't particularly like that you scared Renesmee and Andrew but I can't keep grudges forever. We can start to be friendly to another but you've _got_ to stop flinching every time Bella or I _look in your direction_-"

"Have you not seen the way your wife stares at me!" Laurent's blue eyes widened and he spoke in a rush "If I am anywhere near Andrew or Renesmee or even _her_ she would glare at me so fiercely it scares me." He confessed and then shivered at the memory.

Edward laughed "That's Bella for you, she'll come around eventually. I'll talk to her."

Laurent smiled, feeling a whole lot better. Being around Edward wasn't so tense and awkward now. It was like the guilt of 'the incident' was a constant weight over his heart but now Edward has forgiven him and it felt like he could breathe easier now.

It was going to be alright.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** **I like this chapter. :)**

**Okay...you may have noticed some references I put in there. **Example: Andrew said** 'Beehive' **:Nanny McPhee- is it British? I think so**. If you were confused then don't hesitate to PM me. Or review, I don't mind being outed. xD**

**All the shops I named are ALL REAL SHOPS IN FORKS so if any of you people live in Forks and were freaked out at the coincidences then I can say, I DID MY RESEARCH lolIfrigginstalkedyou...**

**ANYHOOO**

**That little bit where the kids are imitating planes I saw some little kid do that couple of weeks ago. SO CUTE! I couldn't resist. The next chapter will have a...a index? forgot what it's called but I'm going to write out exactly what they all look like and their names and stuff. I really want to do a Laurent-Edward Brotherly BFF thing. I have pictures of Amber(Dog) and the new car on my bio so go check them out! Might start writing some words in Italian. Stay Tuned!**

**Peace! **

**Review to tell me what you think! :D **


	18. Discussions

**A/N: Hello again...Had to pass a rough patch. Exams are over so less later updates? -crosses fingers- Well, here's the chapter! Bit short and sad.  
>Thanks for those who bothered to review and thanks for everyone who alertedfavourite my stories so far! You guys are brill! From now on I might just reply back to your reviews on here. **

**Midnight Angels Say GoodNight: It's hard to not be cute when you got two kids running all the time! hopefully this chapter will make up for my...tardiness. Thanks for reviewing :) **

** Don't forget to review at the end everyone!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Recap: Edward laughed "That's Bella for you, she'll come around eventually. I'll talk to her."<strong>_

_**Laurent smiled, feeling a whole lot better. Being around Edward wasn't so tense and awkward now. It was like the guilt of 'the incident' was a constant weight over his heart but now Edward has forgiven him and it felt like he could breathe easier now. **_

_**It was going to be alright.**_

**New Identities:**

**Surname: Gancini**

**Orientation: Italian/American**

**Looks;**

**Edward-to-Anthony: Black hair **(style not changed much but bit tamer),** little bit of facial hair, elegant nose, defined jaw, deep sea blue eyes, has an air about him that is totally different to Edward-unconfident etc.**

**Bella-to-Maria: Raven-haired **(shorter, just passed her shoulders in a plait),** soft round face, blue-green eyes, wears glasses, timid****.**

**Renesmee-to-Evelyn Rosetta (Eva): Raven-haired **(ringlets in two pigtails),** bright blue eyes, not much different in personality because she's just a child.**

**Andrew-to-Nicholas: Jet black hair **(very curly but shorter than usual),** blue-green eyes, not much different.**

**Laurent-to-Rafael: Long curly hair but looking similar to Edward's. **(No dreadlocks! Noo!),** dark blue eyes, more facial hair than Edward, goatee.**

**Amber-German Long Haired Pointer (dog): Brown eyes.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

As soon as they walked past the threshold into the house Amber turned on Bella, her agile paws scratching at the collar and leash. Smirking, Bella undid the clasp and it fell to the floor, immediately the dog trembled and shifted to human-Amber who sighed loudly in relief.

"Oh, finally!" she groaned and rolled her neck around for relief. She stepped over the leash and collar discarded on the furnished wood floor and leant against the kitchen island where Bella was preparing dinner. At Amber's exclaim Bella laughed, hair bouncing around her ears and glanced over at Amber from behind the fridge.

"You remind me of Edward last time he was put in a leash and collar for a school competition" she snorted at Amber's glare, eyebrows hunched over shining grey eyes. "Oh lighten up Amby, it's not that bad!" she took out some elk meat from the freezer. The whole house was stocked up before they moved in, curtsey of the Cullens, so they didn't need to go food shopping. Or 'hunt', which was probably much more risky.

Amber pulled her hair into a ponytail and continued to glare at the raven-haired woman preparing the food.

"It's degrading, at least I'm an elegant canine" she chuckled. "What's for dinner?"

Bella raised a brow at Amber, a smirk playing at her lips. She pointed to a corner, Amber followed her finger and her eyes widened in horror.

"What!"

Bella was full on smirking now. "Yup"

"I am _not_ eating out of a dog bowl Bella!"

Bella pouted, she retrieved some tube-like containers that had the words _Pawnaturaw_ on it from the freezer. "But I bought all of this meat, who's going to eat this now?" She looked pointedly at Amber who narrowed her eyes in return.

"I am not eating from a _dog bowl_-"

"-Practice means perfect"

Before Amber could reply to express her horror Edward and Laurent came through the door, hair damp with the drizzling rain. But what surprised Amber the most was that they were _smiling._ It looked like an aftermath of a joke or something but whatever it was Laurent was actually _laughing_ and looking much more comfortable than he had been yesterday.

Amber grinned at them from the kitchen "Hey boys! Did'ya enjoy your job hunting?" She queried, perching on the island as they hung their coats up. Laurent caught her eye and rolled his eyes, pulling his scarf off. Edward snuck up behind Bella and hugged her, well, it was more of a squishing-to-his-chest kind of hug.

"Alice is amazing" Edward grinned crookedly, "Warrants on Monday, I can't wait to pry into their secret, _confidential_ files" he whispered huskily into Bella's ear and she shrugged him off, laughing.

"You do that already"

Edward actually looked sheepish at that "uh, yeah?"

Bella rolled her eyes at her husband's smile. She reached out to push Amber off the island so she could work there.

"Off the furniture! Bad doggy!" Bella scolded, internally smirking at Amber's horrified face.

Amber jumped off the island, face red. She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Laurent.

"Fido?" he sniggered, hand flying to his mouth. Amber followed what he was laughing at and, somehow, her face just got redder.

"I got it made special for her. Rosalie was very helpful in the production." Bella added, not raising her head up from where she was seasoning a chunk of elk meat. Edward had moved from the kitchen and seated himself at the dark brown sofa, stretching his long legs. He watched Amber get worked up over a simple dog bowl, eyes dancing with mirth.

Laurent picked up the silver dog bowl, engraved in the metal was a stylish Fido, and beneath it was Amber's name. He giggled (yes, giggled), arms shaking with his laughter, he read what it said out loud. His words were shaking with uncontrollable giggles.

Amber glared at her friend, eyes glinting in warning.

"Oh, come off it Laurent"

"But I can't"

"Oh god help me I'll-"

"-Daddy!" Came a chorus of Renesmee and Andrew, they almost fell down the stairs to race to their father. They knocked him back onto the sofa with an 'oof!' as they hugged his middle tightly.

"Did you go to the police?" Andy asked excitedly as Edward tried to redeem himself. "Where's your uniform?" he asked curiously. Recently, Andy's fascination with sharks had passed/suppressed and he became obsessed with the uniformed warrants walking around town. He would stare at them out of the windows for hours and when anyone tried to get his attention he would just ask;

_"Do they save a lot of people?"_

_Bella tilted her head and sat down with her son, stroking his curly dark bronze hair. "They do"_

_"Like Dad and Grandpa?"_

_"Mhmm"_

_"Do they kill people too?"_

_"What...police are nice people...oh! come on Andrew, bed time!" Bella jumped up, flashing her son a smile. She ushered him upstairs and he whined in protest._

Edward rolled his eyes, trying to move but the two children held him down. He flopped back down with a dramatic sigh and they giggled at their success.

"Dad! Did you fight baddies?"

"Did'ya get a medal?"

"Of course he got a medal Andy! He works for the police!" Renesmee beamed at her father proudly, her long black ringlets falling over her face.

Edward frowned and shook his head. Sitting up the best he can. "No for all your questions. I didn't do anything yet. Laurent and I went to put our names down for it, our police jobs start on Monday" he glanced at his eager son who hung on his every word. "And yes, we'll be wearing a police uniform-"

"_Yes_!"

"Dad?" Andrew asked as Renesmee jumped off her dad to hug Amber. She was still wary of Laurent but noticing that her Dad wasn't mean to him anymore, she wondered if the tall man wasn't as scary as she thought he was.

"Yes?" Edward smoothed his shirt and sat back into the plump couch. Andrew jumped to sit beside him.

"How many days is Monday?"

"You mean 'how many days until Monday'?" Edward corrected raising an eyebrow, not knowing where his son was going on this.

"Yeah," Andrew flopped down into the soft cushions. His short legs were a good couple of inches from the ground so his feet swung. "And then you'll be working for the police?" he asked curiously.

"Yep"

"And you'll be friends?" the question was simple, innocent. The question of a child whose naivety blessed them with black and white views on what was good and what was not. The words were sweet but Edward could hear the hopefulness and the wariness in his son's voice. He was staring at him with his wide sea eyes and suddenly it hit him.

This was a child who practically burned a vampire to its complete death with his mind. Watched their family fight for their lives and almost witnessed their parents being burned alive in fire. Who had been forced from their home in the middle of the night, chased by a mad-shifter through the forest with only his sister as protection and promptly changed their identity and get used to a new house, life and appearance with the mad-shifter who had tried to eat them.

So you see...

A lump formed in Edward's throat and he forced a small smile for his son who was still waiting patiently for an answer.

"Yeah, we'll be friends"

"And you won't have to fight them no more?" he whispered, fingers curling into the sofa. Andrew didn't tell his parents, nor his sister that he still had nightmares about the last fight with the bad vampires. They weren't as bad as they were years ago but they were nightmares nonetheless. But now the threat was in their home. Andrew didn't like that the place he thought was safe is now the complete opposite. Their old home gone, watching his parents and family constantly look behind their shoulders...it was a recipe for paranoia, _whatever that meant_, he overheard Grandpa and Auntie Alice talking about that a few days back.

But he was scared.

Little Andrew was wary of the forest, loud noises, ringing phones, fire, even knocks on the door made him freeze up, thinking the enemy was at the door, until he saw who it was. The thought of the police were like two conflicting thoughts. They were there to protect them, not hurt them. But they were. They found out about the secret they kept from the humans and now they were scared and wanted to hurt them.

And now his dad was going to work for them so he could protect them Andrew had rationalized. The police would understand and they wouldn't have to keep hiding. It was a hope the little boy couldn't help but grasp onto desperately. He didn't like seeing his mother sad, Auntie Amber cry when she thought no-one was looking. He wanted everyone to be safe again.

So when Edward pulled him into his arms and hugged him protectively to his chest, Andrew smiled. Feeling like the safety he wanted was right in front of him. He tightened his short arms around his father's waist and dug his face in his shirt.

"No more fighting, I promise" Edward vowed with his wavering slightly he felt his eyes prickling but didn't want to alarm Andrew by crying.

If anyone saw father and son wipe away a few tears when they sat down for dinner then they didn't say anything.

* * *

><p>That night Edward found it hard to sleep.<p>

The night was quiet and calm. Only the sounds of birds shuffling high in the trees and the even breaths of the sleeping Bella beside him were the only noises he could hear. Glancing out of the big window the darkness in the sky had a tinge of blue so Edward guessed that he lost most of his night.

Sighing, Edward moved his gaze to the sleeping Bella. She looked so peaceful, her face that was normally tight and wary near Laurent was slack and it was like all of the past week's stress melted off her face.

Edward liked that face.

But the thoughts from his last conversation with Andy before dinner was plaguing his thoughts as it had been all night. His eyebrows furrowed in a frown and he stared up at the ceiling.

He made a promise he wasn't sure he could keep- and it scared him.

"Edward" Bella's sleepy voice murmured, a warm hand resting on Edward's bare arm. He looked down at her and was momentarily distracted by her bleary brown eyes, god he missed those.

He reached out to caress her soft cheek gently, pulling the covers over them more. "Did I wake you?" He asked softly. Bella captured his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I could feel you worrying" Bella explained quietly, but in the silent night her voice carried. Her eyes seemed to shimmer even in the dark.

Edward gazed at her for a second and then his gaze dropped to the pillow. His jaw worked for a moment as if he was chewing his tongue but he didn't look like he was going to answer the unspoken question that Bella needn't to ask. Bella just waited patiently, watching how her mate's eyes flickered back and forth like he was thinking, over-thinking something. Even in her sleep she could sense his worry in the corner of her mind. If it was a person she could imagine it pacing, mumbling to itself. Just the way Edward would.

Bella wondered if she should speak but Edward finally opened his mouth, eyes pained as they focused on the headboard.

"Do you...do you think I'm a good father?" He asked, voice painfully quiet. Edward didn't look Bella in the eye, couldn't.

"Yes"

The reply was quick and confident which made Edward blink in quiet surprise despite himself, though he still didn't look at Bella. Not yet. He couldn't look her in the eye and see exactly how he screwed up his children's lives with lies they've been feeding them for so long now. He didn't want to look into Bella's eyes and know in her face what she thought of him. What kind of father is that? What sort of husband is that?

"You're an amazing father Edward. You always play with Renesmee and Andrew and make them feel happy when they're not, you teach them right from wrong, how to control their abilities, tuck them in at night..." Bella smiled faintly at her conflicted husband but his eyes didn't meet hers, only blinked at the wooden head board slowly. Bella reached out and grasped Edward's bicep.

"I love you Edward" She whispered, voice strong with emotion. Edward finally looked at her and Bella could see his emerald green eyes shimmering with unshed tears. He looked at her and she noticed a small amount of relief relax his face. The next thing Bella knew she was in Edward's arms, crushed against his chest. Edward buried his face in Bella's hair and she responded by wounding her arms around his waist.

"I don't want to lie to them anymore" his deep voice husky and muffled by Bella's hair. She sighed and felt Edward stiffen slightly.

"We don't have to," Bella murmured. She thought back to Andrew and his conflicting thoughts of the police in the town. She didn't want to lie to him. But…"But we need to protect them right now, maybe when they're older they might want to know the full story."

Edward nodded in agreement. He understood, but it didn't make it any less easy to deal with.

"I get it" he hummed and relaxed down into the bed, bringing Bella down with him. Because of their proximity they were practically sharing a pillow and Edward smiled crookedly at Bella, hugging her closer to him and breathing in her sweet scent through her brunette locks.

A lone thought became center in Edward's head and he ran a finger down Bella's arms thoughtfully. Not knowing how to introduce this to his mate he hesitated slightly, wary of her reaction.

"At some point Bella, you're going to have to accept Laurent with us-Bella...Bella! Bella, love come back to me," Anticipating the reaction Edward tightened his embrace when Bella started to pull away snarling at the mention of Laurent's name. Her face morphed into a stony expression and the tightness returned in her now flashing eyes. Edward felt her muscles clenching violently but he was undeterred, holding on to her tightly and continuing speaking. "...I talked to him Bella. He is _genuinely_ upset and angry at himself for scaring us and _he needs protection right now_," He copied Bella's earlier words and she looked up at Edward and then away, glaring somewhere around his collar bone and shoulder.

"I want to help him. Amber knows what she's doing and even the kids are warming up to him. But we can't have you two avoiding each other like the plague and when you're in the same room the feeling that at any moment you'll just rip his head off." And knowing Bella she probably would. Her strength is fierce and her instincts more protective than a mother bear.

"You need to put the past behind you, like we all did. Don't forget it, acknowledge it but focus on the present and future. Remember? That's what Carlisle told us all those years ago…and Laurent really is a good person. He's a good guy Bella"

Bella went lax in his arms, her eyes pained but holding less of the anger than before.

"I can't…" She said but the fight wasn't in her voice. "What he did Edward…" she looked up at Edward with disbelief clear in her eyes. "How can you look past it? I don't get it." Confusion etched into her features and Edward ran a thumb over the creases in her face.

"Maybe you just have to start listening to him, Love." He replied, kissing her forehead gently. "Just give him a chance."

Bella snuggled into his chest and sighed resignedly. "I get it. Now, can we go to sleep?" She murmured into the darkness. Edward rolled his eyes and smoothed back some hair from his mate's face.

"Of course, oh and Bella?" Edward closed his eyes as his head relaxed on their pillow. Bella made a sound in query and Edward leaned close to her delicate ear.

"I love you too"

Even in the dark Edward could feel the corners of Bella's mouth turning up into a smile against his chest. And with that he fell asleep to the gentle breathing of his lover.

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><p><strong>AN: Bit short, but I needed it to end there. I have plans *cackles evilly* Also, I will have a poll up on the matter of 'Jacob'. To Jacob or not to Jacob? Yeah, that makes no sense at all...Reviews make me write faster!** **Until next time...**

**La.**


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